Red Hand of Doom 5e IC

[Xihirli]

After Aetus spoke, Gaks took a moment to compose herself. "Warklegnaw had also told us of a contingent of the Red Hand – including a green dragon – guarding the Skull Gorge bridge, as the army meant to march over it. Roswyn slayed the dragon and we destroyed the bridge." Much to Freya's dismay, she described the battle in perhaps the most boring way possible. "After Drellin's Ferry evacuated we went into the swamps following the rumors of the lizardfolk there joining forces with the Red Hand."

Spoiler: Roll

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16 OOC

[DigoDragon]

Freya accents her story with some magic to set the scene. "We found a tribe of elves, and one of their fine warriors guided us to the lizard base in the swampy ruins," Freya spins.

"The swamp was filled with nasty flesh-eating plants, but far worse was the mature black dragon and his Red Hand wizard leading an army of lizardfolk from their base in the ruins! We swam underneath their lair and attacked from below! The dragon's acid breath burned against sheild and armor, but we stayed on the offensive, flanking the creature while summoned giant snakes kept the wizard busy. Soon the big beast was slain!"

"Reinforcements came from the lizard camps. We were forced back into the water, and then pressed to a nearby island. But we had luck on our side, and a pretty bard with a spell up her sleeve. Teamwork turned the tide and we pushed them back to their lair. Their numbers began to fall as we found an opening in their front line and pressed into it. Their wizard leader retreated by flying, and the lizardfolk were all slain or routed by the morning light."

"The elves were impressed with our skills and we made allies that day."

Performance (1d20+7)[8] 25 from the ooc reroll.

[Bobthewizard]

Zuri

Everyone looks at Zuri to continue after Freya. While she wishes her friends could just continue talking, it is clear that she is expected to chime in as well, so she continues the tale,

"After the goblin ranger escaped, we found clues that he might be going to find the Ghostlord, so we traveled south towards Brindol, helped some refugees and sent the elves to help here in Brindol. Did they make it here?”

“We continued on to see if we could intercept this Ghostlord. On the way, we came upon the bodies of your couriers requesting assistance from the dwarves. Our condolences. We took the payment they were carrying and offered it to the dwarves. Did they make it here?”

“We then traveled through the briars and found the Ghostlord in his hideout. He turned out to be a powerful lich, and we survived only by promising to find and return his phylactery, which the Red Hand currently possesses. We then travelled north to search for the main Army, again stopping in Drellin’s Ferry but finding no stragglers.”

[Amnestic]

Lord Jarnaath seems thrilled by the tales, though Tredora and Lady Kaal less so. It's difficult to tell if Immerstal is even listening to you speak, his gaze in the middle distance, his mind apparently elsewhere. It seems to only be the proper etiquette requirements of the situation you're in that keep Captain Ulverth from interrupting for elaborations at every other moment. Two of the council, at least, are thoroughly impressed, though how much the skepticism of the other three is drawn from old experiences is another matter. "It seems your early victories tape-" "Now now, my Lady," Jarnaath interrupts Lady Kaal before she can continue what was looking to be a denigrating statement. "We can analyse the full events at a later time. With the Horde soon on our doorstep, we should focus on the battle plans now that the heroes are here to lend their expertise." "As you say, Lord Jarnaath." It's a strained agreement. Both Lord and Lady crinkle their eyes in frustration and distaste, but they leave it there.

"Now then," he pushes aside a few books and parchments, creating space for a large, well drawn map of Brindol. There are a few troop markings here and there, but for the most part it's a simply street layout, with some of the surrounding areas beyond the walls detailed. "Strategy is still being finalised. The Captain and I cannot come to an agreement, and with respect to my fellows none of them have any tactical experience, and are deferring to us in this instance." He points at a number of spots beyond the walls, where tiny trenches are marked, along with pallisade walls and watch towers. "You may have seen them on your approach to the city, but we are fortifying beyond the city walls, in hopes that by engaging the Red Hand there we can minimise damage done to the city itself. Though most citizens have evacuated, some remain behind to support the army, and we want to ensure the city is saved from as much damage as possible."

The Captain frowns with disagreement, but Lord Jarnaath gives him the floor willingly to voice his own opinion. "From my perspective, engaging outside of the walls will cost lives that don't need to be spent. We built stone walls for a reason, we should use them." "They have siege weapo-" "Yes," the Captain cuts off his Lord before the point can be made, evidently having heard it a number of times. "Let them spend time and energy using them instead of meeting them head to head." Jarnaath doesn't seem upset at the interruption, instead at the fact that they can't come to an agreement. Finally, Lady Kaal speaks up. "Lest you two bicker between each other until the horde takes the city, a decision needs to be made. Well then heroes," she stresses the word in a way that says she does not believe it to be the case. "If you would grace us with your 'expertise', please, enlighten us on what you believe would be best."

Spoiler: OOC

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Make a decision as a party on which side you want to support ("Deploy outside the city" vs. "Deploy inside the city") then you need to try to convince the a majority of the Council (Jarnaath, Captain Ulverth, Lady Kaal, Tredora, and Immerstal) to support your side. One Persuasion check per council member, and likewise the same character can't try to persuade multiple individuals, nor can you 'dogpile' one character with multiple party members. Since Jarnaath and Ulverth are already swayed, they might be harder to push one way or the other. On the other hand, one of them already will support you, regardless of which side you pick.

Remember what you say/how you say it is important too. You can also take some time to pose questions to the Council, get some back+forth sorta stuff, maybe try to suss out motivations, but prying too much might have repercussions too :P Delicate balance!

[Xihirli]

"The Shining Axes have much in the way of experience," Gaks said with a bit of an assumption, but she felt a warranted one with the value placed in hiring them. "Have they made a suggestion?"

[Amnestic]

"They were invited to offer opinions but they declined. They said, roughly, 'Mercenaries aren't meant to give orders, just follow them. Whatever you decide, we'll get it done'." Lord Jarnaath shrugs, but it's more tired than dismissive. "I've met few dwarves in my time but these ones at least seem to live up to the reputation of being stubborn, they refuse to budge on this and - in fairness - we didn't hire them for tactical opinions, that's not in their contract, as they were quick enough to remind me."

[Bobthewizard]

Zuri

Zuri looks to Beorn and Freya to come up with final plans and to convince the others of their decision. In the meantime she has some questions and an offer of help. Her new physical maturity from the ghost helps her present a case without looking like a child anymore.

"Perhaps you both are right. The town's walls are stronger, of course, but we should not let them get their siege weapons close. Perhaps we could do some damage to their big weapons far enough away from the walls that they we can reduce that threat. Captain, how far out are these outer walls? How many feet of outer wall do we have to protect? Tell us what you have done for these walls so far, and how many soldiers and archers we have. What other defenses do you have?

Perhaps at these outer walls or beyond, we could set up some traps for their siege weapons. I could use my magic to dig pits that we could cover with supports strong enough to support personnel and worgs, but that would collapse under the weight of a larger siege weapon. I could also dig holes, placing the dirt beside them just to make the ground impassable for their siege engines. We could use your existing walls to funnel them to any traps. And use our retreat from those walls as a feint.

We also need to remember they have a dragon. It can fly over any walls we put up. We think we can defeat their dragon, but we need you to keep their archers and siege weapons off of us while we deal with it.”

She stops talking, waiting for the others to weigh in and for the Captain to better explain the walls.

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So I guess this puts me on the defend the outer walls side, using them as a feint to set up traps as we withdraw the troops there.

(1d20+3)[11]

[ProudGrognard]

Aetus

Aetus' temper almost got the better of him, when the spoiled towner started questioning his comrades' skill.

Soft stonedweller! You hide behind your wealth and make a virtue of your softness, until the real world appears in your campfire! Then you moan and whine!

But he keeps his thoughts for himself, following the example of Zuri. After she finishes talking, he takes his turn.

"Zuri is in the right. The two approaches can be complementary. And you must take into consideration the dragon and the powerful individuals that are part of the horde.

Stone walls and wood walls will fall. Take that as a given. The question is at what cost for the horde. I say, as Zuri said, make them pay. Put archers in the wooden walls. Make them have to use their siege equipment. But concede these walls when the dragon comes. Make a killing floor between the stone walls and the wooden walls. Make the terrain difficult. Let me train archers to rain death as the horde scrambles from one wall to the other.

Then, plan for the breaching. Because it will happen. Let us take the dragon and use the elven allies and dwarven mercenaries for hard opponents.

This is my view"

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d20-1)[5]

[Amnestic]

"The walls are roughly 3400 feet long. Any fortifications beyond that will of course have a larger area to cover." The Captain rattles off the numbers. "Thanks to Lady Kaal's contingent of forces our soldiers number roughly 280. In addition we have mustered 840 militia, the 200 dwarven mercenaries, and 50 elven rangers, so we've got an approximate force strength of 1370 people." That over half of that is made up of barely trained militia goes unspoken, but the concern is writ clear on his face. "Our own scouts have said the Horde is more aggressive with their own patrols as they get closer to Brindol, and over the past week or so. Possibly because of your attack." "Not to mention," Immerstal finally opens his mouth, his sneering drawl punctuating each sentence, "that the Horde has magic of their own. Would you have your 'efforts' be spent creating these inconveniences only to watch them be dismantled in an instant?" "Yes, thank you Immerstal," Lord Jarnaath interrupts, his tone testy as he tries to bring the conversation back to a more positive keel. "The point is that going far from the city, especially in small numbers, is dangerous and potentially for little gain if they can undo your work with their own spells easily enough."

"Fortifications built outside the city walls are limited so far, since we've been unable to come to an agreement on strategy. They're little more than pallisades and some shallow trenches, perhaps a hundred feet from the walls, and only really focused around the city gates." He pauses, before adding, "I do not believe any stationed there would be able to retreat back inside the city." The suggestion of archer training seems to go even more poorly. "We have less than a tenday until they attack, there is little chance any archery training will make a difference over what they're already receiving. We have ample crossbows, and outfitting some soldiers with them, the others with spears and pikes."

[Xihirli]

Ideas ran through Gaks's head. Destroying the siege machines from behind while the army was in front of them and poor weather disrupted communications. That forcing the dragon to take the walls as the siege weapons were destroyed. "We can get behind them, pincer them if need be with our friend's fire. She can destroy the siege, if we can get her a few clear shots."

[Amnestic]

Lady Kaal frowns. "Isn't that what you tried before? This one," she gestures at Beorn, evidently not having committed his name to memory, "said you tried this once for...what was it, 'little benefit'? And now they'll be prepared for you. What is different - in your advantage, to be clear - from before?"

[Xihirli]

"Perhaps little," Gaks admitted, and lowered her head slightly.

[DigoDragon]

"If I may," Freya interjects, "Our previous attempt failed because the army was not busy with dangerous matters. They were able to focus their entire attention at us."

She uses her magic to create a little model toy of a siege engine in the palm of her hand. "Your forces should arm behind your walls, this I believe we agree on. It will force the Red Hand to devote manpower to operating their siege engines. They will be busy defending those engines. And as they do we, we can strike them from the outside and take out their leadership. Without orders, their forces will become more like unruly mobs than a united army. Their assault will fail. We have some familiarity with what their leaders will look like and where they will be stationed."

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We are rolling persuasion, yes? (1d20+10)[13]

[ProudGrognard]

Aetus

Aetus interjects again.

"And don't discount the value of hunting their scouts and their outriders as they come here. It will be well to arrive here hesitant, half-blind, because we hunt them in the night, rather than the opposite. Every scout and footman we take out, it will be one less to arrive here"

[stack]

Beorn address the wizard Immerstal, "Even is enemy magic can counter preparations, is there not a cost in them doing so? It is my understanding that powerful magics are limited. Miles of mud and washed-out roads would take some effort to repair, slowing the advance. Or snow and ice. Let them arrive tired and delayed. The more frustrations they face, the more strained their coalition will become, I would think. Let frustration do its work, perhaps they make a mistake, send a dragon or other powerful resource with insufficient protection. Yes, we fight from the walls, but we do not them them stroll up. My companions and I are willing to bear the greater part of the risk in excursions and harassments."

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persuasion (1d20+3)[19]

[Amnestic]

Though it may have gotten heated at times, Tredora and Immerstal finally do cast deciding votes alongside the Captain, outvoting Jarnaath and agreeing to establish troops only behind the walls, and not face the Horde on the open field. Aetus' mention of the wall being breached does prompt an awkward silence, but on the back of it the council starts discussing and making plans for what to do once the walls are broken through - an eventuality they seem to have not wished to consider prior to it being said out loud, perhaps for fear of tempting fate. At least once they get going they require little input or have few arguments, quickly noting down areas on the map in front of you of where to block alleys, station groups of soldiers in buildings to use guerilla tactics, and build barricades along major streets to delay pushes. For a moment it seems like they almost forget you're there, and you're allowed a glimpse of a council united rather than divided.

This doesn't last however - the final subject of arranging the forces is that of the local clerics, those who have healing capacity. "We should station them all in the Cathedral," Lord Jarnaath posits, "Establish it as a central hospital for the battle, rather than spread them out where they can be picked off." Lady Kaal snorts at this. "We all know why you want them safe and sound in the Cathedral." Though she doesn't say it out loud, her darting eyes to Tredora and the Lathanderite's subsequent blush tells the full story well enough, especially when combined with the slightest tinge that colours Jarnaath's cheeks. "Deploying them all at the Cathedral paints a target on their back and makes them useless where they should be - in the field." The Captain speaks up next, "Though I don't quite agree with how Lady Kaal voiced it, I do agree with her plan. Centralising the clerics would leave them vulnerable should the Horde break through to it." "More vulnerable than spread through the city where they could fall piece by piece?" Jarnaath shoots back. "I...concede that some will be lost fighting on the streets, but we might lose more men because they're not there and those on the frontlines have no support. We can't abandon those on the edges just because they can't reach the Cathedral."

Despite, or perhaps because, they're her clerics, Tredora voices no opinion. Her face is torn, as she seems unable to rectify the wish to keep her clerics safe and that of the men in the field. Immerstal looks utterly bored by the discussion and when asked his immediate opinion simply says he can't decide either way. With the Council unable to muster a majority vote, they look to you once more to help sway the deadlock.

Spoiler: OOC

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Phase 2 complete. The forces will be behind the walls.

Diplomacy Phase 3! What do you do with the clerics/healers?
Station them at the Cathedral? Current vote: Jarnaath.
Station them throughout the city? Current votes: Lady Kaal, Captain Lars.
Undecided: Tredora, Immerstal.

[ProudGrognard]

Aetus

Aetus shakes his head.

"All the clerics in one place is counterproductive and dangerous. They will be needed where the fighting actually happens. Their magic will not only heal, but also inspire. I don't know how many you have. Keep some perhaps in reserve. But keep most in the walls and near the fighting units."

[Bobthewizard]

Zuri

Zuri looks around the room and takes in the arguments. She finds herself nodding along when Lady Kaal and Captain Lars are talking.

"I agree with Aetus. The clerics will be needed where people go down. Perhaps you could keep some here at the Cathedral so the soldiers know where they can bring someone if they can't find a cleric, but most of the clerics should be with the soldiers. You also want to make sure everyone knows how to stabilize someone. Knowledge of the basics of field care should be spread throughout the troops.”

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Persuasion: (1d20+3)[13]

[stack]

Beorn looks calmly at Jarnaath, speaking with the weight of his experience. "Moving the wounded back to a central location would consume valuable manpower; we need to maximize the advantage the defenses grant us. Taking soldiers off the wall to act as litter bearers weakens our defenses. Even untrained levies can drop rocks or shoot into massed formations. Distributing the clerics and other healers will be more efficient. Since they will be closer to the fighting, I recommend that we be sure they are appropriately armored. Whatever armor each can bear, and shields too."

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persuasion (1d20+6)[22]

[Xihirli]

Gaks's hand twinged. Healing was not her specialty, and frankly it did not interest her. She wondered if she really cared about the lives of those in the city, or was merely going along with what the others were doing. I must care, she thought. Or why would I have risked life and limb to fight the Hand? I care about Trellara... She frowned.
Ulwai and some of the others are practicing outside of Evocation. Were I raised in those same colleges, would I ever have left? Would I be marching under their banner?

Spoiler: OOC

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No input, Gaks is just inner monologuing.

[DigoDragon]

"I agree to have the clerics placed throughout the city where we will be fighting. If they are all in one place, and that place is cut off, then we lose valuable resources," Freya adds.

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Persuasion check: (1d20+10)[23]

[Amnestic]

The council seems quickly swayed by your words, though Immerstal remains apathetic to the entire situation and only votes accordingly seemingly to get it over with. Still, the matter is brought to a swift and decisive conclusion once you intervene, and the agreement is made. "Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we proceeded with these matters. There is but one final matter on the agenda for today. Immerstal, if you please?" The wizard in red leans forward, his face for once alight with interest, though never loses its pomp and pretentiousness. "I presume," he begins in an arrogant drawl, "that you are not familiar with Rary's Telepathic Bond? No? I thought not. A simple enough spell for one such as I - it allows the caster to link the minds of up to eight people together and allow them to communicate telepathically. Alas, Rary lacked any foresight and his arcane creation only lasts a mere hour at best before fizzling. I, however, have created a new telepathic bond spell - Immerstal's Telepathic Bond!" He pauses at this announcement, as if expecting applause, but when none arrives he continues unabated, apparently unaffected.

"By reducing the number of people involved from eight to four, I have increased its duration eightfold, allowing this spell to cover eight hours, and easily ensure that we have instant direct communication for the battle." "Between Immerstal and myself, we have two people to link remaining. I believe that one should go to our party of heroes." There's a moment of hesitation but ultimately the assembled people agree quickly enough, nodding along with the suggestion. "Which leaves us with the matter of the final 'bond'. Given that we're now stationing her clerics around the city, I see it only right that the final one go to Tredor-" He can't even finish her name before Lady Kaal and Captain Ulverth both speak up, near shouting over each other. "How long will you continue this far-" "My Lord I must prote-" They both cut off, glaring at each other, until finally the Captain - in deference to the nobility's position, gestures for Lady Kaal to speak first. "I am providing almost half the trained soldiers to this war effort. Stop trying to coddle your pet cleri-"

"Lady Kaal." Jarnaath interrupts, his tone icy for the first time. "Have care with your words, lest you come to regret them." From their posture it looks like they might almost come to blows, but finally Lady Kaal backs down. "Thank you for your considerate advice, Lord Jarnaath," she says, her voice oozing with sarcasm. "What I wished to say is that if the bond should go to someone, it should go to myself, owing to my contribution to the war effort and the loyalty of my soldiers." A comment about what exactly they're loyal to seems to be bitten back by the Captain, and when he speaks it's with a measured tone. "Immerstal will not be leading troops on the frontline. My Lord, you will be commanding people with a view of the battlefield at large, and the heroes will be acting as a small strike team. The final bond should go to myself, to better react to things at the forefront of the battle." "Putting a bond on the frontline is foolish - a waste, should you be overwhelmed suddenly. Your death would blind us. And what if the severing of one bond ends the spell?" They look to the resident arcane expert in unison for clarification.

Immerstal rather seems to be enjoying all the talk his magic has produced. "The spell will only end after roughly eight hours or my own death, which is an impossibility, of course." He snorts, as if the very notion that he should fall to the Red Hand is laughable. "Should any of the others perish, the remaining bonds remain active."

With the council unable to come to an agreement on this (apparently) final matter, they look to you once more to sway the decisions.

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy Phase 3 complete. The clerics will be stationed throughout the city.

Phase 4, START!
Who will receive the final Telepathic Bond? Again, these are not your only options, just the ones the council wants.

Current votes!
Tredora: Lord Jarnaath.
Lady Kaal: Lady Kaal.
Captain Ulverth: Captain Ulverth.
Undecided/No Comment: Immerstal, Tredora

You also should probably decide which of the party gets the (third) telepathic bond (and maybe fourth, if you want to argue for that in case of sudden PC death >_>).

[DigoDragon]

Freya considers the options. "Hmm, I would say that the two bonds should be near the front lines, to better coordinate our strike team and the larger defending force," she considers out loud to everyone to hear. "For us, it should be someone who has always been capable of mustering our group in a fight. For the other, it should be one who is near the action so that they can relay information quickly to us; where we would be needed the most."

"My vote is for Beorn and Captain Ulverth."

Spoiler: Roll?

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I assume we need a persuasion check here.

Persuasion: (1d20+10)[19]

[ProudGrognard]

Aetus

Aetus considers and frowns in thinking. Standing up, as all warriors of his tribe do in when talking in important meetings, he just says

"I agree with Freya."

And then sits down.

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Persuasion (1d20)[18]

[Bobthewizard]

Zuri

Zuri just nods along and sits down, happy with Freya's argument and not very concerned with which one of us uses the spell.

"I agree with Aetus and Freya.”

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Persuasion: (1d20+3)[8]

[Xihirli]

Gaks nodded her silent agreement, seeing this disagreement as the most petty yet. Do these people... not KNOW they're at war? Is there ANY command structure, that they must ask strangers to solve every dispute they have?
"Could you not simply cast it twice?" Gaks asked the wizard. "I am not capable of casting Rary's Telepathic Bond, but I believe it can be cast without expending power if time is dedicated to it."

[Amnestic]

"Ah, the so-called arcanist of the group wishes to instruct me on the inner workings of my own spell!" Immerstal bristles. "Of course! What a fool I am for not simply considering casting my own spell multiple times!" His theatrical mockery doesn't garner any smiles or support from those around, who either look at him with disdain or distinct discomfort. "No, of course you can't simply cast it a second time, in much the same way you can't tie two ships to the same anchor unless you want them both to sink."

[Amnestic]

Though Freya's words gain some traction, one bard's speech alone is not sufficient to sway the assembled council, voiced agreement or not, and the deadlock continues. It's ten more minutes of discussions getting steadily more heated until finally the Council makes a decision and Lady Kaal receives the final telepathic bond, with Beorn the chosen party representative. By the time the council has finally ended it has been a few hours you would guess, sometime in the early afternoon.

"Well, with that final piece of work crossed off the agenda I believe our deliberations come to an end. Heroes, if you have not already made plans for residence you are of course welcome to rooms in our the keep. Should you require any assistance or guidance please do not hesitate to ask and we will all," he takes a moment to pause, cementing his words for some of the less agreeable councillors, "do what we can, but in the meantime we will continue our preparations for the battle to come. By current scout estimates the Red Hand will arrive at the city walls in perhaps five days."

With that, the council separates, though none leave the room, instead splitting up to speak with others in the room or deliberate over books and charts. Even Immerstal doesn't leave, surprisingly. Your time is yours once more, to do with as you will. What little of it remains.

Spoiler: OOC

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The war council concludes. Next step?

[Bobthewizard]

Zuri

Once she finds out where she will be sleeping, Zuri sets out to find Morlin the Smithy to see if he was able to finish her green dragon scale male armor.

"I'll be back, I want to see if I can find Morlin.”

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[Xihirli]

Gaks approaches the wizard once more. "I thought it would be wise if we filled each others' spellbooks with what we know," she said, trying to keep her tone neutral while talking to the *******.