Throne of Night - Dark Frontier IC

[Tyrann]

Relevant things you would know IC.

Info on traveling (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1myVHN9fX9d72MM51pxmPB3ar6oZjTxWU95l9_LiWvZg/edit?usp=sharing).

Map (http://i.imgur.com/4Oazbyw.jpg).
25 days ago

Long have you lingered in this frontier outpost, forsaken and forgotten. When at last you were summoned before the Baroness, Lady Satha of Vothys, immediately you knew it was a trap. But would you dare disobey her summons? And so you put your head into the noose. At least she was brief.

"I have an errand for you. The deep gnome quarry-town of Fasturvalt has two things I desire – stone and slaves. You will seize them for me. I have assembled an army of a hundred fine warriors. I put them under your command. That should be more than enough soldiers to brush aside their pitiful defenses. Even better their ruler, Lord Geirni, is a simpleton who believes he can placate us with treaties and supplications.

My generosity does not cease there. I have gifts. The jewels summon forth minor fire elementals for about a minute I'm told. You can either shatter them and command the elementals directly or set them as traps. Amusing little toys to be sure. Use them to burn the gnomish armory. The potions will keep you in good health. See how much I care for you, my honored subjects," she says with a smirk. A pampered courtier presents you with a small chest containing three jewels and three potions.


This chest contains three of Satha's fire jewels and three potions of cure light wounds.


Aura moderate conjuration; CL 5th
Slot none; Price 1,500 gp; Weight --

DESCRIPTION
These small brilliant reddish orange fire jewels pulsate with their own inner flame. If smashed, broken or crushed a small fire elemental appears under the control of whoever broke the jewel.
The small fire elemental operates exactly as if summoned by an extended summon monster II and persists for ten rounds. If given no orders, it attacks the nearest living thing. If there is nothing living nearby, it spends its time setting all flammables it can reach ablaze.
The jewel can also be set as a trap. With a command word, it activates an alarm. If any come into its proximity, the elemental breaks free and attacks as if uncommanded.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Extend Spell, alarm, summon monster II or summon nature's ally II; Cost 750 gp

"This errand should be simple enough even for you. Do this and return to me. You are dismissed."

Generosity. Hah! The Baroness plots against you even if you do not yet understand her schemes. Still, it will be good to escape from the cesspool that is Vothys. There is even opportunity here if one is cunning. Enslave the deep gnomes, yes, but they will be your slaves not servants of the Baroness. Once Fasturvalt is yours, you can return to this outpost and thank the Lady Satha properly for her generosity. The time has come to be forsaken no longer. Seize Fasturvalt! Through the labor of svirfneblin slaves, you will build for yourself a Throne of Night.

Travels

One of the drow secrets of the Upper Azathyr is that they have discovered a minor passage that bypasses the Fungal Jungle and connects Fasturvalt to Vothys. Without this passage, you would have had to venture into the wilderness, with its many inhabitants and potential complications.

The passage is known in the drow tongue as the mena doelyn(pro. mine-ah doe-lin) or literally "the hidden path". But more commonly the drow simply refer to it as the dark road. Both ends of the dark road are sealed by masterwork secret doors that have been built to blend in perfectly with the native stone.

Though the dark road is marked as a minor passage on the map, it has been extensively cleared of debris and formations and leveled so that it does not slow movement like minor passages usually do. That said, the dark road is quite narrow and widening its ninety six mile length would be a major engineering project. As a result medium creatures must move through it in single file and large creatures count as squeezed and have their movement halved. Wagons and larger beasts cannot navigate the dark road.

Though clearly a better option than traversing the wilderness, your journey though the dark road wasn't as quick as some of you would have liked. You were delayed by Ares' bat Vex, who could not fly here and had to crawl and often squeeze its way through the passage.

Present

You finally arrive at the staging area. The road widens into a cavern here for a few miles. A (male) drow scout wearing the colors of Vothys notices you and bows deeply, and though he does so with the grace typical of the drow, he is clearly being submissive.

"My lady Luxana and company. The army awaits your instruction. We are camped in a nearby cave."

And indeed, as the scout told you, a hundred drow common soldiers await the your arrival. Besides the soldiers there are also thirty days provisions for this army stored in this cave.

[Archmage1]

As she heads towards the staging area, Luxana stews internally, as her hatred and dislike for the Baroness grows rapidly.
Eventually, she reaches it, and clearly, she is not particularly happy.
"Then why are the provisions on the ground? Pick them up, and prepare to get moving. We have gnomes to enslave. Bring the officers here."
She pauses for a moment.
"Now."

[Lostbutseeking]

Anais was the first to arrive at the encampment, having struck out ahead of the rest of her family nearly a week ago in frustration at their slowness.

As she made the rest of the journey alone Anais contemplated their mission

I do wonder how are we supposed to die doing this? By the svirfneblin? Or has Satha given orders to some among the army to ensure we never make it back?


With such thoughts when Anais arrives at the encampment she stays hidden,some way away watching and waiting for her siblings rather than approaching alone.

When her eldest sister Luxana shows up and marches into the encampment pulls herself from the shadowed crevice she was occupying and falls in behind her.

[Dagul Thor'Nix]

Wruzirahc had spent the journey in his customary place, slightly ahead of his sister Luxana. Scouting, drawing out danger, protecting his siblings.

When they entered the encampment, Wruz pulled back, allowing his older sister to enter first and be greeted by the common drow.

Noticing Anais step out of the shadows, Wruz slid over to his little sister and threw an arm around her.

"Waiting for the rest of your beloved family I see Anias." he said with a smile.

[CharlesMartel]

Krenril was also at the front of the phalanx, but had waited for the arrival of a few of his other siblings. He had a smile on his face as he took in the sight of this small force under their command: it was certainly better than nothing!

Luxana also needed to calm down; imperiousness would do no good here as far as he was concerned: "Esteemed Sister, it would do well for you to relax a bit: a hasty assault could end disastrously. We should at least send advance scouts to determine what the situation is at Fasturvalt. Of course, I do not mean to be rude." Hopefully, she would listen at least a little bit.

[Archmage1]

Luxana glares at Krenril. He may be her brother, but that does not give him the right to second guess her commands.

Her voice seems calm. Dangerously so.
"You think me a fool, brother?"

[CharlesMartel]

He should have expected this. "Of course not; but remember we have no idea of enemy forces and have little idea of even our own. On top of the fact that we have little understanding of these 100 drow soldiers will perform, we have no information regarding the numbers of gnomes or their defenses. It would be militarily unwise to rush into a plan. But, of course, you have the power. It is your choice to listen or to ignore me, and I apologize if I come off as rude. "

[Archmage1]

She sighs, reminded once more that all males were idiots.
"And just how do you think calling the officers means that they are all going to get sent to their death against gnomes?"
Her voice has hardened, to a rather considerable degree.

[CharlesMartel]

Oh. Well, in that case: "You were rather imperious in your first order; we want troops who want to fight and kill gnomes, not ones that do it simply because they submit to your might. I don't want this to be an issue; I am merely offering my suggestions." She was rather testy today: then again, when wasn't she testy?

[Archmage1]

She archs her eyebrow, and looks at him.
"Oh? You think that I should offer them flowers, and lead them by the hand? Maybe take them dancing a time or two?"
She pauses, before continuing, her voice even colder.
"They are either drow warriors, or they are not. If they are, they know what needs to be done. If they are not, we are better off without them."

[CharlesMartel]

Krenril resisted the urge to sigh. Letting an impetuous cleric lead a group of warriors was probably a pretty bad idea if this was any indication. "No, babying the troops in any way would be a mistake; merely rouse their passions and boost morale. I would rather have 10 fanatics at your side willing to die at the snap of your fingers than 100 men who lack a will to fight and cost us the chance to capture the town."

[Archmage1]

"Perhaps."
How has this fool lived this long?

[CharlesMartel]

Luxana was so utterly thickheaded he didn't know how she had survived, especially if she spoke to her betters like this. He supposed the lack of authority figures in her life couldn't have possibly made her behavior any better, but then again he had his problems too... "I am glad we can reconcile at least a bit on this, dear Sister. And if you would send a scouting group out I would relish to be a part of it."

[Archmage1]

"Certainly. How could I refuse my dear brother's request?"
Her voice seems rather insincere.

[Lostbutseeking]

Anais' only physical reaction to Wruzirahc's embrace is a slight, momentary tensing.

Her reply is a quiet few words "It seemed prudent, my eyes are keen but I only have the two of them."

As Kenril and Luxana bicker she fines herself continuing her thoughts from before Or perhaps Satha just intends to let us kill ourselves?

[Tevin]

Vae'lar appriases the situation quickly, the drow force was here, ready to prepare the attack and finally meet their commanders. Luxana and Kenril bickering like children, Wruzirahc acting like a fop, and Anais, the other female of the group seemingly content with letting a male challenge her sister's authority. "What a wonderful show of our authority and competance, a divied front and childish antics," he thought to himself while idly spinning his dagger between his one palm and the index finger on his opposite hand.

Walking around the assumed drow captain and his bickering siblings, Vae'lar takes in the scope of the cavern and the froce assembled there. After a time he turns and walks nonchalantly back behind the two who were squabbling, idly and noisily sucking on his teeth as he goes.

"This could be fun..." he says quietly to no one in particular.

[Dagul Thor'Nix]

Wruz smirked to himself at Anais's tension. It was funny to him how uncomfortable drow were with physical contact, even from family. It was the old friends close enemies closer syndrom, they expected a knife in the dark from him. Of course he would never do that, but they didn't know that.

Wiping the smile off his face and replacing it with a steely eyed stare, Wruz walked up to Vae'lar who had passed him. "Fun indeed brother, the gnomes will never know what hit them if this is handled properly."

[Tyrann]

"Certainly, lady Luxana."

The scout, still bowing deeply before Luxana, takes a few steps backwards before jogging to the camp to get whoever was in charge until you arrived.


The scout tried very hard to not any attraction at all from the moment Kenril started talking to Luxana. Whatever punishment she had in mind for his behavior, he did not want to be part of it.

A few minutes later a female sergeant appears, who give something in between a military salute and a respectful bow.

"My lady. I am Olorae, sergeant in this company. I apologize profusely if my low rank offends my ladyship, but I fear that myself aside the Lady Satha has only sent you common foot soldiers."


She is trying, and making a good effort, to maintain composure. But she seems worried, knowing that she is not what you expected.

[Archmage1]

Why does that not surprise me... Although, why she is spending this much effort to get me killed... there might be more to that... Either way, it does not matter much.

Luxana looks quite calm as she receives the news, but inwardly, she is seething.
"Olorae, select three scouts, and send them to the door to the dark road. Krenril has volunteered to lead them, and scout ahead as we move through the passage, to ensure that there are no nasty surprises. Return to me once you have dispatched the scouts."
Assuming that Olorae would get moving, Luxana turns to Kenril.
"Grab some supplies, and start scouting."

She considers her siblings, trying to determine which ones should command which groups.

[CharlesMartel]

"At once, dear Sister." Krenril turned to Olorae, waiting for her selection of the scouts. He waited patiently for her selection.

[GranAures]

Having been among the last of them to walk into the camp, Ulyasra simply walked about silently gauging the worth of their army. She was liable to be getting a few looks herself, when her attention was turned, given her arrival and trek in fairly common dress. She was distracted from her task from the small sight of Luxana and Krenril having it out in the camp

'Fine warriors indeed, I truly wonder how we can fail,' Ulyasra's voice rings clearly in Luxana's ear, aided by the simple magic she could wield. Her tone was far from the joy and vigor of some of their kin and far less concerned than the other two had seemed.

"If I may without opening that spectacle again,' Ulyasra continues, hardly awaiting a response and strangely sincere ,'it might be prudent to allow them one of the tinctures[. It would likely serve them better.'

[Archmage1]

Luxana whispers her response.
"I think not, sister. I will not reward insubordination."

[GranAures]

'By your will then,' Ulyasra responds while the magic lasts, 'war is such an uninteresting art to me after all, so direct and impersonal.

[Lostbutseeking]

Anais moves from one brother to another, leaving Wrux to stand by Kenril as he waits for the scouts.

[Tyrann]

You hear Olorae shouting in the distance, and after about a minute she returns with three male drow.

"These are Alak, Kel and G'eld." The soldiers salute.

"If you find them agreeable, they can serve as scouts, my lady."

The soldiers each carry leather armor, a light crossbow, and a rapier. Alak looks middle aged and has a few wrinkles around his eyes. The other two seem to be about your age. Kel is a little shorter than the other two. G'eld is wearing a bandanna to keep his long hair out of his face.

[Archmage1]

Luxana looks over the three scouts, before nodding.
"They should do. Go with Krenril here, and take a look up ahead. He has kindly volunteered to lead, so let him. Try not to get killed."

As they file away, she turns once more to Olorae.
"How many of them are you comfortable leading? Since we are short on Officers, placing some of my siblings in charge of some of the men is going to improve their combat effectiveness."

[Tyrann]

Sounding eager for the opportunity, Olorae answers

"I could lead a dozen men or more, my lady. My experience in the field is limited, but I believe my knowledge of tactics is not."


That's a total bluff. She has no idea what she's doing, but is hoping to luck her way into success and respect.

[Dagul Thor'Nix]

[roll0] to sense motive

"Oh really? Perhaps you could recount for me the much taught oft referenced battle of the first spiders then?" Wruz asks casually. This is a trap because anyone who knows anything about tactics knows that this is not a real battle or tactic at all.

[CharlesMartel]

"Alright, you three." Krenril looked them over. "Let's get a move on. I want us in a diamond formation; I'll be at the head." He motioned them onto the path and went.

[Tyrann]

Olorae gives Wruz a piercing stare in response to his question. Nothing more. Clearly she is offended by having a male question her competence, but she dare not act upon it in front of his sisters.
Instead she pauses to calm herself and asks "My ladies, shall I order the soldiers to get ready for marching?"

The three scouts salute Krenril and follow his orders without any questions.

[CharlesMartel]

Krenril headed into the cavern and along the road on the way to Fasturvalt. The three drow soldiers silently moved behind him with crossbows ready as he easily navigated the terrain.

Ready bow/arrow for Krenril, light crossbows for the scouts
Perception check: 1d20+8
Stealth (?) check: 1d20+7
okay... seems as if my rolls aren't working. that's cool

[Lostbutseeking]

"Yes, you should Sergeant. Anais' voice is soft, but firm.

Turning to Luxana as Olarae steps away from the group Anais continues "Though I do not believe we should march all the way, none of us have been to Fastervault, and I doubt any of the soldiers have. We know nothing of what we face and if those gems are to be of much use we must get them into the armory before the svirfneblin have cause to arm themselves."

[Archmage1]

Luxana smiles.
"Of course, sister. That's what Krenril is doing. If he stops complaining, then we know there is trouble up ahead. Of greater concern is the lack of leadership. We need them organized, and that takes leadership. Unfortunately, there are only three of us, so some of the males will need to be in command."

[GranAures]

"So long as they can keep in mind where they will answer," Ulyasra speaks quietly, this time without the use of her magic, as she makes her way among her sisters. "To much to have to worry over with too few of us."

[Archmage1]

"Either they will, or I will get to have some fun. I don't mind too much either way, but I think that will."

She pauses, before speaking in a louder voice, so that all of the remaining siblings can hear.
"Since the Baroness kindly stripped the unit of officers before sending them here, we will be assuming their role. Ulyasra, take command of the dedicated archers, fifteen men or so. Anais, you will get the main combat group, of 20 men. Wruzirahc, you will do well as the commander of the scouts, who will be fifteen of them, with some additional training from you, if there is the time. Ares, you take command of the second combat group, under the command of Anais. You will also have twenty men. Vae'lar, you will have five men, to guard you, if nothing else. Olorae will act as my executive, keeping track of supplies, and relaying my orders, if no one else is available."
When she discusses each sibling's assignment, she looks at that sibling. Her words are clear, and commanding.

[Dagul Thor'Nix]

"As you command sister." Wruz says in a jovial voice of mock subserviance. Smiling and sounding please he speaks to the men under his command. "Scouts with me, I get to train you. I hope some of you survive." he says with a morbid laugh.

[Tyrann]

The soldiers are assigned as per your orders. If Olorae is at all upset about not being allowed a squadron of men under her personal control she does a very good job of hiding it.

The first few days of travel are uneventful. Krenril scouts ahead but doesn't find anything. Until you finally arrive at the Lake of Diamonds.

This vast cavern is a natural wonder. Everywhere gigantic quartz crystals erupt from the walls and ceilings. They hang like delicate diamond chandeliers from every wall. And the floor of the cavern is filled with a jewel clear lake. Little wind moves through this cavern and so the face of the lake is calm like a great mirror. Lost in eternal darkness, this mirror is disturbed or seen only rarely.

As splendid as the lake is to normal sight, its true beauty is appreciated only via darkvision. The crystals radiate a pale violet several shades beyond the normal visible spectrum. Piezoelectric arcs dance amidst the crystalline menagerie.The lake is not silent. White cave crickets that grow to three inches long swarm throughout the crystal lake. They emit a low eerie hum that seems to make the crystals almost reverberate. It is a haunting music that fills this great space.

This gargantuan underground lake is actually an unimaginably huge quartz geode more than ten miles across at its widest point. The quartz itself is cloudy and jagged and portable pieces are of little value. The lake takes its name from the two beaches where the passages enter the great domed geode. These beaches are littered with broken pieces of crystal that have fallen throughout the years. They look much like beaches made of scattered diamonds.

You can follow these beaches around the lake, but it will take you about two days of marching to get past here.

You are about to make camp after the first day of marching.


Please describe who's keeping watch, guard rotations, stuff like that.

[Archmage1]

Looking around the beautiful sights of the lake, Luxana appreciates it for a moment, before she moves to more urgent matters.

"Two watches, each four hours long."
She looks to Wruz.
"Wruz, Have your scouts quickly search the cavern, see if there are any signs of enemies here, before you detail half your men to keeping watch on each shift. Anais, you and your men keep awake and alert for the first shift, Ares, you and yours keep fully prepared for the second shift."
As was her wont, as she speaks to each, she faces them. Soon enough, she turns to Olorae.
"Olorae, make sure that they eat, and ensure that the other groups keep around half in reverie for the first watch, and the other half the second watch."

[GranAures]

Having offered little resistance to the idea of being put with the archers, in fact being a bit removed from the more direct lines, Ulyasra seemed more comfortable as she walked among the small unit during the march. During the travel she attempts to size up the capacity of many of the soldiers, watching the stride in an effort to measure their dexterity so as to better line them for different effective ranges.

As their groups finally make it to the lake, Ulyasra's gait takes on a small shift as she begins stepping and lightly humming along with the natural "music" of the crickets. As they finally set camp and Luxana's orders for watch come around she orders eight of the soldiers to support the first watch with the other seven to help the second with her. After dispensing her own orders she makes her way over to Luxana.

"I meant to offer this when Anais mentioned it," she speaks softly as usual, "but maybe a small number of us who are a bit more socially inclined could move ahead when we reach nearer to Fastervault. We could pass as exiles and performers and hopefully send part of their defenses out against a fictional threat or at least sabotage the armories from inside their walls before signalling the army."

[Archmage1]

Luxana looks calmly at Ulyasra as she makes her suggestion, respectfully, as she should, something that pleased her.
"It could work, although their suspicion of any drow visitors, especially drow who avoided their sentries is likely to be very high. Before we make a move, we will scout, and see what we can learn, without revealing our presence here. Planning without information is mostly pointless."

[Dagul Thor'Nix]

Nodding to Luxana, Wruz signals to his men. "Alright children, scout the cavern, and report back. Then set up a rotating shift half up half down at all times." he smiles and joins in the scouting, hopefully one the scouts would break a leg and Wruz could kill him.

[Tyrann]

Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtssMQjsPmyIdHJqZUs3aWRBWWhEOGNpNV84cVVZW FE&usp=sharing)

We're currently in Anais' guard shift. Please place yourselves on the map (the lines are tents. RS means resting soldier. There are two empty tents for you guys at line 21, but if you prefer them to be elsewhere let me know.

[GranAures]

Getting set for the second watch, Ulyasra pecks a bit at the assorted dried mushrooms of one of here ration and washes the light meal down with a bit of water. Having eaten a bit, she settles down in the far corner of the smaller tent to rest a bit before the second round of watches.

Resting in C-23

[Lostbutseeking]

Used to spending time alone in the wilds Anais has no objection to taking guard duty, standing not too far from the center of the camps, her eyes enjoying the serene majesty of the lake as time passes.

Standing at M-29, watching the lake.

[Dagul Thor'Nix]

Wruz settles into a trance like sleep.

Trancing in H 24

[Tyrann]

You hear a screams coming from the tents at the north of the camp.

It's coming from the tents at H11, F14 and I14.

You can make out three different soldiers crying in pain, and quite a few more screaming in panic.

You think you could also make out the sound of bones being crunched, and flesh being ripped. It sounded like animal bites, but it's hard to make out what kind exactly with those soldiers shouting.

Initiative.

[roll3]
[roll2]
[roll1]
[roll0]

[roll4]

[Lostbutseeking]

Anais had been drifting a little, slipping into a very light trance. It was sloppy of her and downright dangerous.

This was driven home when the sounds slipped into her thoughts, it took her several long moments to process them, seconds that could easily kill, her or another.

Snapping back to full alertness her voice echoes accross the camp, a clarion call as she races north drawing her sword as she moves.

"We are under attack! Monsters! Rise! Rise!"


To try and think what beasties might be around here
K:D [roll0]
K:N [roll1]

[CharlesMartel]

Krenril had been sleeping in one of the tents when he had heard Anais's cry. He quickly got himself out of bed, grabbed his bow, and ran outside, hoping to spot a target. He yelled back to Anais, "The three north tents are under attack! At least 3 soldiers- probably more- are injured!"

I guess I start in E21.
Perception check: [roll0]
Initiative: [roll1]
Sorry for not posting earlier- I've been super busy at work recently

[Archmage1]

Hearing the alarm calls, as well as the sounds of the monsters, Luxana has time for one brief thought, before she stands, and heads out to assess the situation.(L20)
It would appear that the guards need to be... disciplined. Caught unawares like this... they are Drow, they should have known better.

[Dagul Thor'Nix]

Hearing the cries of battle, Wruz smiles as he leaps from his cot and heads into the darkness. drawing his blades he moves to the north.

[GranAures]

"Wonderful timing," Ulyasra grumbles lightly as she rolls to her feet, quickly fishing out a small strip of wide leather. Thankfully the noise had gotten her well motivated so she was well and coherent as she moved from the tent.

"Any ideas about what we're dealing with?" she calls loudly enough to be heard easily enough.

[Lostbutseeking]

As she runs north Anais calls back to her elder sister

"Cave salamanders possibly, if so we need light, real light! You can't see them with darkvision!

[GranAures]

"Just what I didn't want to hear," Ulyasra calls back. "Me and Krenril area bit closer so we'll start pulling their attention."

Ulyasra moves towards the tents shooting a glance back at Krenril as she does.She moves as close as she can so as to get a better placement of her own lights.