Scourge of the Whitewood IC

[Bulwer]

(OOC thread) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?370957-Scourge-of-the-Whitewood-OOC)

As dawn breaks, the ragtag posse of bandits emerges from the woods. Two are furred, one is hulking and tattooed. A dirty elf armed with bow and rapier lags behind, followed by a well-hatted and well-toothed gentleman with burn holes in his shirt. At the head of the pack is a young human man, well-groomed but ill-dressed, save for his shining mithral shirt.

A realization struck the smarter ones at about the same time-- what exactly was their plan? The servant's brutal punishment was to take place at noon, and they were on the wrong side of a wooden palisade. There is an ally on the inside, someone who sent word of the verdict to the Whitewood, but none among the group knows who it might be, save that it's someone with extremely precise, tiny handwriting.

In the distance, the wall of Fort Morrin disrupts the skyline. There is only one main gate, facing east, away from the forest. Fort Morrin is not so closely guarded these days, though-- someone quick might be able to climb over without being seen.

[Sartharina]

Rambina, one of the fuzzier and most underdressed of the bandits, fastened her bandanna around her forehead. "Alright, so I can climb into the fort, take out the guards.... does anyone have knotted rope to let you guys up?" she asked, turning to the group. "Or do we have a better plan? Is killing the guards okay?"

[Wisp_Paladin]

Nick looks through his gear looking for anything that might help. "I do have some rope that can be used to help us that aren't climbers. It should not take long to add a few knots. I would prefer not to just kill everyone, even though it might be unavoidable." Nick shakes and slowly rubs his head trying to think of another way into the fort. "Maybe we can trick them to let us in? Maybe?"

[Redshaw]

Arn sucks the temperate forest air into his lungs as the group trots out of the woods. He was more accustomed to traveling in frozen wastelands, where the cold rattled your bones and Auril's promise of death echoed on the winds. The warmth of these lands did nothing to his bones, and the snow goddess' macabre words were no where to be found.

The Jotunn-kin stands over eight feet in height. His frosted white hair is long enough to reach the middle of his back, and is tied into a neatly braided ponytail. Fanciful hairstyles and dress were popular among his giant kin, and it was a habit he had not dropped. His facial hair is well-groomed, though relatively short in comparison to the whiskers possessed by his taller brethren, chilly white in color, clashing against his naturally cyanotic skin. He dresses primarily in animal hides, more for modesty than warmth in this climate; bear-hide cloak, entire hare skins for gloves and boots, accompanied by leather breeches under a small skirt the wolf hides. A great deal of animals died to gird someone of his size. His muscular arms are bare, save for the endless tattoos that detail him from wrist to neck and he wears a shining mithral breastplate across his chest. He is armed with a gleaming bearded axe (http://th09.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/207/e/7/viking_bearded_axe_sheath_by_durnstaros-d6f8d0j.jpg) at his waist and an enormous hammer (https://warosu.org/data/tg/img/0339/20/1407412359229.png) that looks as though it might cause a small rockslide if it fell to the ground, strapped to his back. Over the hammer is an old oaken door, the image of a mug wearing a pair of boots carved into it. A trophy of his first brawl in a tavern among the human lands, the door had been torn off its hinges when he had sent someone careening into it.

He towered far above that of his travelling companions. Not an unfamiliar event, as he was used to travelling with smaller humans all the time. That said, they were still smaller than his northern human kin. Especially the fox-blooded mage; he looked as if the gusts of wind could carry him away in their icy grip, were he ever to journey north. Arn could find no obvious reasons to doubt the ability of the half-orc, though he did not clad himself as a warrior. The others... they all seemed a bit too spritely for the half-giant's liking, but he was wise enough to know that appearances, in the human lands, were often deceiving.

As they approach the fort from the rear, Arn raises his bushy white eyebrow thoughtfully. There were in luck: this was a wooden palisade. His crystal eyes then glance about the landscape, searching for a possible breaching tool: a dead tree trunk that might be used as a ram, or, most preferably, boulders which might be hurled.

Making a survival check in the attempts of discovering a natural resource that might be used as a weapon or breaching tool. [roll0]

The smaller members spoke of sneaking and cheating their way in, but this was not Arn's way. The jotunn doubted that evil men lied behind the wooden walls of the fort, but he did not doubt there were warriors. Arn felt no guilt or dishonor in killing in combat, for Ysgard's gates were always open to those who died well, with courage and thoughts of home in their hearts.

[Ellowryn]

Yes, asking people really nicely usually works, if you use a bit of magic. And it usually lasts a few hours. Ahran pauses and strokes his whiskers. But such tactics work best in small groups without many observers. If we could find a side entrance that is guarded by only one or two persons we can use that as our entrance and exit point, as long as we do not take too long or create too much of a ruckus.

Noticing that the larger of the companions seems to be actively looking for rather large things, his mood turns slightly sour. If we can't find a secondary way in than perhaps those of us easily disguised as normal people could walk in the front gates, find a poorly guarded spot on the wall, and charm our way to allowing us to lower a rope to let the others in?

[AngryCyc]

"Why do the trouble..? That puts us all more at risk. And hey, look right here! It looks like this wood might not exactly be as strong as they so think..." Variel says after all the discussion. He walks up to the large wooden structure, and reaching out, place as hand on it. As if watching time fast-forward, the wooden palisade starts to deteriorate and wilt right before their eyes, crumbling to mold and dust and nothingness. "Huh" he says cockily, "Look at that. No need to alert anyone to put presence now, is there?"

One use of Erosion Touch against the wall. Tricky thing here that could really go either way but.. I can coup de grace with the ability, but it's not 100% clear if you can coup de grace an object. Some interpretations imply yes. Others think it's not clear. Nothing says definitely yes or no. That being said.

[roll0] damage to the palisade without coup de grace, and an additional [roll1] if you agree that it can be coup de graced.


Also, this is under the assumption that we've picked an adequate place to do this... I.E. Not directly under a gate, can't hear lots do soldiers on the other side, etc.

[Sartharina]

As the others made plans to put the fort under siege, Rambina turned to Nick, "Let's get this rope knotted before half of us try to knock the fort down, and the other half talk themselves right into joining our friend we're supposed to be rescuing," she growled in annoyance, then flashed her claws. "Seriously... it's just a wall made of wood. I can be up it in less than ten seconds, and they'll never see me coming."

Drawing a blunted arrow with a head curiously carved to resemble a fist, she purred, "If there are any guards, I can harmlessly take them out with these. Of course, I might be able to everyone except Mr. Freeze and possibly Wick up there as well, if you're lightly clad enough."

Raising a paw to her forehead, she scanned the top of the Fort for guards (Perception: [roll0]), and, if the battlements were clear, she casually hands her greataxe to Arn, hides in the grass (relying on a low profile and her natural coloration to help conceal herself) - and makes her way toward the fort's walls. (Stealth: [roll1]. If she can find an area without any observers, she'd break her cover, and dash up the wall (20 ft move speed, 22 Climb check to double-climb) and stop at the top, choosing to stick near one of the towers for greater cover in case someone gets a glimpse of her while she tries looking for guards and appraising the fort's defenses.

[Redshaw]

Arn takes the feline creature's ax and holds it ponderously. He lifts the blade against his face, to sniff the scent of it and frowns when he discovers nothing of note. Arn was more accustomed to wendigo and yetis than he was to cat-folk, so as a rule he did not tend to trust things with more hair than flesh. Still, she was very, very small and, most likely, only mostly harmless to him.

Listening to the chatter of his companions, the thoughtful but quiet jotunn came to realize they thought his unspoken idea both foolish and folly. Well, he thought, Fie on them.

Arn understood that, on occasion, discretion was preferable to a show of force. Rare occasions. He doubted the puny folk within would be prepared for a true assault - permanently affixed defenses, while impressive, tended to leave its occupants complacent, lazy and secure in their relative "safety" behind tall walls. His own people were wanderers, ever vigilant, ever careful, migrating from one valley to another in a year-long cycle.

His blue eyes peer upward as he watches the feline scrabble up the face of the wall. Impressive. When she clears the palisade, the jotunn pulls back his arm and hurls the ax upward, with the intent of sinking the blade against the wooden edge of the fort, so that she might gather it; skilled as she was, she would be incredibly stupid enter enemy territory unarmed.

[roll0]

Giant bloodline grants me free access to the Throw Anything feat.

[Bulwer]

Arn sees only a rocky outcropping interrupting the field in which the fort sits. Perhaps he could pry a boulder out from-- no, the cat's given him an axe and vanished.

As Rambina crawls through the grass, Variel strolls up to the wall, a good 30 yards away from the nearest guard tower and begins to dissolve the wall. This alone might have escaped notice, but Arn's throw does now. He hurls the axe, and it sinks deep into the wood. It splinters a key board, and the crack spreads, almost to Variel's weakened area.

With a ready-made distraction, it's easy for Rambina to prowl up and over the palisade. She finds a nook about 35 feet off the ground, just underneath the platform of the southwest guard tower.

Ahran and Nick hang back for now, crouched in a gully out of sight, about 50 yards from the wall.

Rambina: One guard mans the tower you're under, and he's definitely seen the two at the wall. He's started to shout, but you don't see that anyone inside has heard-- it's still quite early.

Variel: You can indeed coup de grace an object.

Arn: I'm gonna roll your damage 'cuz I need the number. In the future, you can just roll it with the attack, and if it misses, it just doesn't get used.

[roll0]

All: Initiative rolls!

Nick: [roll1]
Variel: [roll2]
Arn: [roll3]
Ahran: [roll4]
Rambina: [roll5]

[Wisp_Paladin]

Nick stares in disbelief at the crazy series of events. But hearing the guard knocks him back to his senses. He grabs pulls out his rapier as he moves towards the hole that Variel has provided.


Move action: move 30 ft up to the fort.
Standard action: move another 30ft to be next to the wall to the side of the opening.
Free action: draw rapier.

[Sartharina]

Rambina scowls and hurls herself onto the tower, drawing her bow, nocking one of her Boxing Glove Arrows, and unleashing it at the alarmed guard.

Attack: [roll0] [roll1]Subdual.

[Bulwer]

Rambina's arrow hits the guard right in his unarmored throat, and he stumbles back against the railing of the tower. Too late, he flails his arms out for balance, or for something to grab, but he finds nothing, and falls. A moment later, there's a muffled thud from the outside of the wall.

Falling damage: [roll0]

[Redshaw]

Arn bellows with joy as the combat begins, eagerly taking javelin in hand and hurling it at the nearest guard. Regardless of the weapon's success, Arn will then begin closing on the nearest opponent to him. As he moves forward, Arn begins to feel his blood thumping and eagerness growing; he thirsts for both glory and blood. A berserker's rage has begun.



Javelin hurl

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Ellowryn]

Skirting the long way around the carnival that just hit the fort, Ahran will then move near the fallen guard along the wall taking note of what he was wearing. Once he is confident he has memorized the look he will then move closer to the wall, trying to avoid notice. He was going to have one chance at this, so he bides his time.

Taking 10 on stealth check (14) to skirt the fray and then move along the wall. Waiting for the guards to engage Arn and then using one of his Spell-Like Abilities to cast Disguise Self to appear as a normal human guard, rolls for if it happens [roll0]

[Bulwer]

From the wooden stairs inside the guard platform, Rambina hears a voice. "Oy, Robin, your shift's over. I'm comin' right up, so if you're ASLEEP--" that last is in an amicable shout-- "I wouldn't want to see that, because I'd hafta write you up." Rambina sees the crown of a steel helmet poke up onto the platform.

To the right of the tower, east along the outside of the wall, Arn and Nick peer through the perforated wall. The hole, so far, is big enough to look through (or throw a weapon through), but it'll need at least one more good whack if anyone's planning on climbing through it.

Conveniently for Arn, there's someone walking by inside, a military officer in a blue tunic and dull grey scale mail. He's carrying a mug of something hot in one hand while trying to read an impressive-looking scroll he's holding in the other. He glances up when Arn bellows, and he lets out a high-pitched yelp as the javelin dashes his mug from his hand.

The wall shudders slightly as Arn attempts to charge inside through the 18-inch hole.

Ahran, elsewhere on the periphery of the fort, sees no guards but the one on the eastern guard tower, perhaps 60 yards away from his allies. He carefully avoids the sentry's gaze as he creeps ever further from the other bandits and close to the gate, ducking behind wooden supports as he goes. As he hears Arn's bellow, the gate comes within view-- closed, but with a single guard posted outside a smaller, person-sized entrance.

[Sartharina]

Rambina moves to hide behind the stairs, and stay out of his line of sight. (Stealth: [roll0]), and tries to get into position to knock him out once he provides a clear target - hopefully not over the tower this time. Two arrows, to be safe [roll1] [roll2] [roll3] [roll4]

Actually, I'm not sure what I can do here. If I can get a full attack off without cover in the way, I'll take it. If I can't, then it's probably just a single Readied shot - take the first roll, and add 2 to the attack). All subdual damage