The Defenders of Highgate, Chapter 2

[WarBrute]

Sarrok Balderk

“Now, now,now, Bruck. I‘m not accussing you of anything. .” He flips a gold coin between his finger as he talks. “I’m merely accusing your patrons.” He stops holds the coin between his thumb and forefinger. He looks over at the wenches and calls “Hey Halfling,” He motions the Halfling to come over the bar. He turns to Bruck “You have a private place me and miss can talk?”

[dauphinous]

The halfling wench looks Sarrok up and down, then her eyes flick to Deladus. "I don't do the tallfolk. For you though, hon, 5 gold and I'll do whatever you want."

[oliana0]

Oliana

Oliana returns looking a bit hurried. "I got nothing."

"Perhaps we should inspect the wall ourselves? By day or night, maybe?"

[lawful_evil]

Carter

When Oliana returns and suggests checking out the wall, Carter chimes in, "Yes, excellent. As I can't see in the dark and we don't want to startle any of the watchmen at the top, I'd suggest during the day. Now, perhaps."

Carter gestures to Nalik and says, "Hopefully our commander can get us permission to go up."

[anIceFan]

Nalik

That is a good idea. I will go and see if I can get permission from the commander.

Nalik will go to see the commander on duty.
Sir, our team has information that Highgate will be under a threat from the north. I would like to know if there is a standard way to move troops from the south to the north of the wall.

Assuming the answer is no

Then Sir, we would like to examine the wall and determine the feasibility of being lowered onto the northern side.

Spoiler

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So apparently I took the description of the wall a little too literally in my previous post. It is really about 100' tall.

[WarBrute]

Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok smiles and nods towards the tavern rooms. He motions to Deladus not to follow.

[dauphinous]

Response to the query regarding a 'standard mode of transportation from the south side to the north side of the wall': "There is no such thing. We do not send troops that way. Ever."

Permission for the unit to get up on the top of the wall is given.

Accessing the guards' walk at the top of the wall involves traipsing through the Citadel and climbing stairs. A lot of stairs. First the troop gets to the roof of the building, where everyone has to walk across in plain view to the back wall that rises 30 feet higher from there. The top is crenelated on both the inside and outside, and the heads of people can be seen up there in pairs, moving back and forth.

The stairs from the roof to the top of the wall are covered and the steps themselves have a curious texture to them. They seem to have raised portions, like a tread that would probably cut the bottom of a bare foot.

The team gets challenged on the way at every landing inside the building, at the base of the stairs at the wall, and again at the top of the wall. Each person is easily satisfied by a name, rank, and displayed armband, but they all insist upon getting that.

At the top of the wall, the floor that the people are walking on is set low from the crenelations such that one must be at least 65 inches tall to see over the top of the wall at the lower parts. For those who can see, the vista is breathtaking. The huge gap in the mountains is barren for about 100 feet, then the forest begins. The shimmer of a few lakes can be seen here and there, and more mountains rise up, far off in the distance. There are some cleared areas with rivers cutting across them like shining ribbons.

It seems impossible that orcs and gnolls and kobolds rule over those lands, as they look pristine from here.

[Holocron Coder]

Deladus

Deladus snickers in an amusingly naughty fashion as Sarrok meanders off with the halfling wench. After he's left alone in the room with the other tavern denizens, he turns to the Bruck and speaks, "Hello, again. May I have a drink while I wait for my friend? Nothing too strong, mind..."

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Nalik will assign Oliana to remain in the room to wait for Sarrok and Deladus return.
Once on top of the wall, with a grumble, he will search out something to stand on so that he can look over. Looking down he will look at Carter, Well, any ideas?

Spoiler

Show

Oh evil GM! Nalik is ony 49"

[Torger]

Hengist

Leaning out over the wall, Hengist takes in the facade, his frame easily allowing him to examine the exterior of the wall. A formidable descent. I wouldn't ant to climb down. Can we not examine the footings of the wall? Perhaps there is drainage, or some other exploitable breach.

Hengist enjoys the view, it reminding him of the fjords of Vinland, and discusses options without taking his eyes from it.

[dauphinous]

One of the guards, a tall, willowy half-elf who seems vastly more interested in the Defenders than his job, leans casually against the wall, watching the group check out the view. "It loses its awe-inspiring grandeur once you've taken a watch in the rain." He is the one that fetches a box for Nalik, grinning the whole time.

He has a composite longbow that looks exquisitely crafted sticking out of the quiver slung across his back, and is dressed in a chain shirt. Most of the arrows have ordinary feather fletchings, but four are colored: black, blue, green, and red. He does not seem to be equipped with a melee weapon of any kind, even a dagger. "No drainage in the wall so far as I can tell. In a big storm, the water just pools up like a little lake. Ground sucks it all up sooner or later."

[lawful_evil]

Carter

Carter looks around and says, "Nice view." He turns back to the city to check if he can see his father's house from here. When questioned by Nalik, he turns back to the wall and more specifically to the fall and says, "Well... we made it to the top. Now we just have to get down. I've got rope and so do several of the others. Climbing with rope and wall for support is really that hard. But even better, there are guard here who might welcome a break from the walking back and forth to help lower us down to the far side. Right? There must be half a dozen men here, I'd think they could easily lower us down. Once we are down, they pull the rope back up and wait for our signal, at which point they reel us in."

Carter looks around and then adds, "That way you don't actually have to climb. The rope is tied to you and so long as they don't drop you, everything is fine."

{{ Anyone with Magic knowledge want to suggest feather fall? or Levitate? or Jump??? }}

[Annalia]

Hertz

With his back continuously bent, Hertz was among those unable to see over the parapet. He didn't mind much, however, and had little knowledge of how the defenses should work. "It seems to me that if troops intended to go through this wall unnoticed, they would have better chances underground. Even if there was drainage, anything going towards it would be easily spotted."

[lawful_evil]

Carter

Carter nods at Hertz, but is puzzled by his comments. Huh, did I miss something He then adds, "That may be true, but we don't care if we are seen, so we don't need to worry about finding an underground passage that may or may not exist."

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Considering Carters plan, Nalik begins to examine the top oft the wall for a location to attach a pulley.

We might be able to be lowered. I would feel much more comfortable if we could connect a pulley to lower us down.

Spoiler

Show

Honestly, I am hoping that Sarrok can find us a smugglers path through the wall. Yeah, we can be lowered down, but then we are counting on the soldiers to recognize us and bring us back over.

[Torger]

Hengist

Hengist leans against the wall, enjoying the breeze. Can not one of the favoured of Odin amongst your number cast a spell to lower us? I have heard tales of such from the elders.

[WarBrute]

Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok leaves the room waving to the halfing. He walks over to Deladus. “I cant see us finding anything else here.” He whispers to him. He nods at Bruck “See you some other time, Bruck” He heads out the door. Once out side he says “Well I got so information, you can here it when I report it to Nalik.” He heads back to the barracks.

[dauphinous]

By the time Sarrok and Deladus return to the Citadel and find the rest of the team, they are all standing at the top of the Wall, discussing ways to get to the other side and back.

The half-elf has resumed his actual duties, which seem to involve chatting with one of the other Wall guards while looking off to the north. They are both out of earshot.

[oliana0]

Oliana

When Sarrok and Deladus return to the barracks, "Well, finally! Geez, they left forever ago to go see the wall." Oliana grumbles a bit at being left behind. "Let's go there now!"

Oliana will then go to the wall and try to find a way to its top.

[Torger]

Hengist

To make the descent, we will require at least 20 Famner of rope. Will not your organization provide this?

[oliana0]

Oliana

Oliana bounds up the stairs of the wall fairly quickly showing her arm badge to any that request it; she pays little heed to the speed that the two with her want to take up the stairs. Huffing as she reaches the top of the wall, she is mighty disasppointed that she cannot see over the lower bits of crenelation.

"Oh, nice. My whole life I've wanted to see the view from here, and all I get is the lovely view of some rock. Where's the group?"

Oliana heads towards the group, seeing the half-elf on guard she wonders how he can work here at his height. "So, what are the other colored fletched arrows for?" She's curious for the answer, but has just seen that Nalik has himself a box to see over the wall, and it a little distracted by the thought.

[dauphinous]

The half-elf nods when he's addressed again, returning to the group so he doesn't have to shout. "Signal arrows. Green means a healer is needed. Black means there is a land bound enemy approaching, blue is an aerial enemy, and red means someone fell off the wall." He points at a softly glowing white target on the roof of the Citadel, "shoot them there. In theory, a mage then teleports up here and gets details or takes care of it, or brings a healer." The target seems to have been positioned so it is primarily visible from the top of the wall, and through a particular window.

[oliana0]

Oliana

"Is it a common occurance for someone to fall off the wall? And, at this height, is there much that can be done? Do they send someone over the wall?"

[dauphinous]

"It's not exactly common, no. I can't say why they decided to make that a signal arrow." He shrugs. "Signal colors have been set up for a long time so far as I know. Haven't had anyone fall so long as I've been stationed up here." He grins impishly. "Maybe used to be a problem and that's why the battlements are so damn high."

[oliana0]

Oliana

"Okay, thanks!" Oliana moves to the group and if Nalik is not currently using it, ganders a view from atop the box.

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Noticing that Oliana, Deladus, and Sarrok have arrived atop the wall, Nalik listens in as Oliana speaks with the half-elf guardsmen. As she finishes her question he steps down and approaches him.

How often have you needed your other arrows. Do you have enemies approaching the wall often? It seems like that would be rather futile.

Listens to response

Have you ever seen anyone lowered to the other side?

Listens for response
If we can gather some rope, I think my crew and I would be interested in exploring the lands of our neighbors to the north. We have orders from command to ensure that there are no threats approaching.

He tries to make the last part kinda official sounding.

[dauphinous]

"I have used some of my arrows from time to time. We had a green one shot a couple of weeks ago because Dragon Scout Tamaredes was up here and she sneezed at someone. Big mess. Aside from that, we get the occasional wandering flying thing that needs to be dispatched. Nothing organized, though. Anything wanders in on the ground, we just let it do its thing unless it starts being destructive."

"I've never seen anything like that. Not something I'd like to try, either. Gonna need some big brass ones to climb down this wall. It's not a sheer drop, though, so maybe falling wouldn't kill ya." While it isn't a straight wall on the outside, it is certainly a quite steep angle, so the odds of survival seem pretty slim for all but the most capable acrobats.

"If you want to climb down the wall, we aren't going to stop you. Our job is to worry about stuff trying to get in, not out."

[oliana0]

Oliana

Oliana, still looking out over the view, taking full breaths and enjoying the clear air and sites, calls back to the rest of the group, "What about the dragon a few days back?"

Was it really only a few days ago?

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Nalik makes up his mind that the group is going to go over the wall.

Carter, you and Hengist go to the smithy and get a block and tackle setup. Also, get a steel rod, the thickest available, that will span the width between these parapets. We will attach the pulley to the rod and lower ourselves.

He will then turn back to the guard
When is the last time you have seen any activity on the other side of the wall?

[lawful_evil]

Carter

Upon hearing his order, Carter straightens up and says, "Yes Sir!" He turns to leave and queries, "Sir? I don't actually have any money. Do we have something to use to buy these things?"

Carter turns to Hengist with an expression of <do you have any money?>, with a slight shoulder shrug.