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Log inBlack Arrows RP - 2/22/13
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Black Arrows RP - 2/22/13
Jeremy44 Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:55 am
After burning down the Graul’s farm the party heads back to Turtleback Ferry. With night coming the party makes camp by the road and the rain cooperates by letting up long enough to get a good sized campfire going. The Black Arrows eat heartily and then stretch and relax, still recovering from their recent imprisonment. The party gathers around the fire with them and discusses their current situation.
Jakardros tells the story of how Fort Rannick fell.
“We were rushed earlier at the Graul’s barn and you’ve shown yourselves to be both trustworthy and honorable so I want to tell you the full story of how Fort Rannick fell.”
He pauses for a moment and then goes on, “Well at least as much as I know about it.”
“The fort was manned by around 60 Black Arrows at any one time. The Black Arrows have held this post for about 40 years, longer than I’ve been with them. We would typically send out one or two 10-man patrols each day to scout the surrounding woods and mountains. It isn’t unusual for the Ogre tribes in the area to make incursions against the locals or pick off unwary travelers. But they rarely outright attack the walls of the fort.”
“It does happen a few times a year though. This year the Kreegs had been particularly quiet......"
“...I guess we should have taken that as a warning of sorts. The Kreegs are the largest tribe in these parts and they have the fiercest warriors. They live back in a mining hold in the Hook mountains. Spending most of their time pulling up ore and forging weapons. Not the brightest of opponents though. They’ve never shown any tactics beyond charging the gate or throwing rocks from the forest.”
“About three weeks ago we set out on our monthly patrol. We typically make the patrol up to the Valley of Broken Trees, down through the Kreegwood then over to Turkleback Ferry and back north to the Fort. The entire patrol usually takes 2-3 days. I took a score of the Black Arrows with me and left on Patrol. We got held up in Turtleback Ferry with some local dispute between the dock workers there, so it took us a few days more to get back. The delay proved to be costly.”
“By the time we returned the fort was held by Kreegs. There were fires going inside and we could smell the burnt flesh. We could hear the screams as they tortured the soldiers they took alive.” Jakardros’ face is strained with emotion as he relates the tale. Pausing briefly, he then continues.
“We figured that they must have taken the fort in just the last day and they couldn’t possibly have gotten all the defenses back workly. The north gate was broken on it’s hinges so we quickly attacked there. Great follie on my part.” He holds his head down and is racked with shudders.
Vale puts a hand on his shoulder and says in a deep low voice, “We all wanted to attack. It wasn’t just your decision. You lead as any of us would have.”
Jakardros nods slowly and then continues, “The attack was a disaster, the gate was broken, but had been reinforced on the other side with large timbers hidden from the outside. The ogres cavorting on the walls, had piles of stone at the ready. Our attack was decimated. As we retreated down the road a large group of ogres were prepared and swung out of the south gate to intercept us. They hit us hard and we scattered into the Kreegwood.”
“Over the next couple of days the rest of our number were either caught by the Kreegs from the fort or hunted down by the Grauls. Seven of us were ambushed by a large group of Graul’s. Weakened from the fighting at the fort we still killed nine of their number before they captured us. Horrible fates for the rest of my men.”
At this point Jakardros breaks down and can’t talk any further for several minutes. After initially giving him a harsh look, Shalelu moves near him and puts her hand on his arm to comfort him. Vale’s face is impassive but can’t hid his sorrow. Nualia’s fist shake with rage, and she clenches the hilt of her sword fiercely until it subsides. Kahvan just stares into the fire his usual talkative nature subdued.
----
After spending the evening discussing matters with the Black Arrows you take turns watching and then head to Turtleback Ferry in the morning.
In Turtleback Ferry, Jakardros inquires with the mayor if there is any possibility of getting some of the guardsman to assist with retaking the fort but the mayor says they need to look to the defenses of Turtleback Ferry. In addition, he has several of his guardsman putting up sandbags by the river, as the banks are getting higher and higher with all the rain.
However, the mayor does say that if Jakardros is able to retake the fort, then he will send some guardsman to help hold it since there will be less need to defend the town then. He doesn’t really think that’ll be possible though. Just too many Kreegs, not enough to attack, even if the whole of the town guards went.
While Jakardros is talking with the mayor the rest of the Black Arrows go about town resupplying. The party gathers at the local in to plan out the assault on the keep as the Black Arrows. As you wait for them to join you, you hear a bustle of conversation from the locals about a giant on the loose in the near by Ashwood.
Apparently the giant has come out of the woods the last couple of nights to grab a horse from the stables in town. Many of the townspeople are worried that he’ll start grabbing people next. The city guard is on the lookout for him this evening.
----
Finally in early evening all of the Black Arrows return. It’s still raining out and the inn is quite full, but a little gold secures a private room in the back that you all squeeze into.
Vale has sketched out a map of the fort (http://www.creativeservicesdesign.com/pathfinder/MapByVale.pdf) and he lays it out on the table. Before anyone can begin though, Kahvan speaks up. He says, “I was chatting with some folks down by the docks and some of them made a supply delivery to Fort Rannick just before it was attacked. They said that Commander Bayden left the fort the night before it was attacked.
Jakardros says, “Aye we knew that, it was the 2nd day of the month. He was suppose to go on his communion walk through the forest. I was suppose to be back from patrol before he left.” Jakardros shakes his head then turns toward the party and says, “The 2nd day of each month the commander made it a habit to visit the forest around the area on his own. He said it put him more in tune with nature and the area we defend. He’d only be gone for a couple of nights but during that time I was in charge of the fort. Unfortunately my patrol got delayed so there was not one in charge when the Kreegs attacked.”
Kahvan then jumps back into the conversation, “Yeah, the guys I talked to though said that the commander was seen south of Turtleback ferry though when they returned. He was going into the Shimmerglens.” Jakadros says, “Hmm....he might still be there then. Heard the news and decided to stay there. We might want to searech the area for him prior to the attack. It would give us another strong soldier if he’s there, the trade off being more time for the Kreegs to defend the Fort and possibly discover some of it’s secrets.”
Vale then interjects, “Speaking of the fort...”
Jakardros says, “Right. Here’s the layout. We have a couple of options for attack.
The Aerie - I’ve seen some of you fly, if we can fly or climb the side of the mountain there is a path down from the Aerie we could use to get inside the walls. It’d be behind the defenses and we could strike fast and get inside the main keep.
Tunnels - There are tunnels underneath the keep, we could get in behind the waterfall and then use the tunnels to come up inside the keep. It’s possible we could be spotted going into the waterfall though since it’s right outside the wall. If the alarm is raised in the keep, there’d be no turning back. We also need to be careful in the tunnels as there are a number of shock lizards down there. They don't like the smoke from the Kreeg fires so they'll all be hiding in the tunnels underneath.
The Sluice Gate - The waste releases into the river near the southern gate. There is a sluice there with a grate over it, but it would be possible to go under the water and come through. We’d need smaller folk for that though.
The North Gate - This gate looked badly damaged by their attack to get into the keep. The reinforced it with some timbers, but now that we know about that we could assault it again. It’s probably still weaker than the south gate.
Bluff - A big fella like Wrex could pretend to be an ogre or ogre allie of some sort and get them to open the gate. If we can find out if they have a symbol or something they’d recognize then we might use that to our advantage.
Kreeg Hold - We could bypass the fort and go up to the mountains and attack their stronghold in the mines. That might force them to pull back some ogres from Fort Rannick. The danger would be getting caught between the two groups of ogres or if they instead make an attack on Turtleback ferry while it’s undefended.
Hit and Run - The Kreegs don’t patrol, but we might be able to pick off some on the walls while they return fire with only some rocks. We have a strong range advantage on them. We could weaken them this way. But the fort had plenty of supplies so eventually we’ll have to get in. It might be possible to draw them out. Normally the Kreegs are extremely undisciplined but judging from the first attack we made on them that may not be the case now.
What do you guys think?”
Jakardros tells the story of how Fort Rannick fell.
“We were rushed earlier at the Graul’s barn and you’ve shown yourselves to be both trustworthy and honorable so I want to tell you the full story of how Fort Rannick fell.”
He pauses for a moment and then goes on, “Well at least as much as I know about it.”
“The fort was manned by around 60 Black Arrows at any one time. The Black Arrows have held this post for about 40 years, longer than I’ve been with them. We would typically send out one or two 10-man patrols each day to scout the surrounding woods and mountains. It isn’t unusual for the Ogre tribes in the area to make incursions against the locals or pick off unwary travelers. But they rarely outright attack the walls of the fort.”
“It does happen a few times a year though. This year the Kreegs had been particularly quiet......"
“...I guess we should have taken that as a warning of sorts. The Kreegs are the largest tribe in these parts and they have the fiercest warriors. They live back in a mining hold in the Hook mountains. Spending most of their time pulling up ore and forging weapons. Not the brightest of opponents though. They’ve never shown any tactics beyond charging the gate or throwing rocks from the forest.”
“About three weeks ago we set out on our monthly patrol. We typically make the patrol up to the Valley of Broken Trees, down through the Kreegwood then over to Turkleback Ferry and back north to the Fort. The entire patrol usually takes 2-3 days. I took a score of the Black Arrows with me and left on Patrol. We got held up in Turtleback Ferry with some local dispute between the dock workers there, so it took us a few days more to get back. The delay proved to be costly.”
“By the time we returned the fort was held by Kreegs. There were fires going inside and we could smell the burnt flesh. We could hear the screams as they tortured the soldiers they took alive.” Jakardros’ face is strained with emotion as he relates the tale. Pausing briefly, he then continues.
“We figured that they must have taken the fort in just the last day and they couldn’t possibly have gotten all the defenses back workly. The north gate was broken on it’s hinges so we quickly attacked there. Great follie on my part.” He holds his head down and is racked with shudders.
Vale puts a hand on his shoulder and says in a deep low voice, “We all wanted to attack. It wasn’t just your decision. You lead as any of us would have.”
Jakardros nods slowly and then continues, “The attack was a disaster, the gate was broken, but had been reinforced on the other side with large timbers hidden from the outside. The ogres cavorting on the walls, had piles of stone at the ready. Our attack was decimated. As we retreated down the road a large group of ogres were prepared and swung out of the south gate to intercept us. They hit us hard and we scattered into the Kreegwood.”
“Over the next couple of days the rest of our number were either caught by the Kreegs from the fort or hunted down by the Grauls. Seven of us were ambushed by a large group of Graul’s. Weakened from the fighting at the fort we still killed nine of their number before they captured us. Horrible fates for the rest of my men.”
At this point Jakardros breaks down and can’t talk any further for several minutes. After initially giving him a harsh look, Shalelu moves near him and puts her hand on his arm to comfort him. Vale’s face is impassive but can’t hid his sorrow. Nualia’s fist shake with rage, and she clenches the hilt of her sword fiercely until it subsides. Kahvan just stares into the fire his usual talkative nature subdued.
----
After spending the evening discussing matters with the Black Arrows you take turns watching and then head to Turtleback Ferry in the morning.
In Turtleback Ferry, Jakardros inquires with the mayor if there is any possibility of getting some of the guardsman to assist with retaking the fort but the mayor says they need to look to the defenses of Turtleback Ferry. In addition, he has several of his guardsman putting up sandbags by the river, as the banks are getting higher and higher with all the rain.
However, the mayor does say that if Jakardros is able to retake the fort, then he will send some guardsman to help hold it since there will be less need to defend the town then. He doesn’t really think that’ll be possible though. Just too many Kreegs, not enough to attack, even if the whole of the town guards went.
While Jakardros is talking with the mayor the rest of the Black Arrows go about town resupplying. The party gathers at the local in to plan out the assault on the keep as the Black Arrows. As you wait for them to join you, you hear a bustle of conversation from the locals about a giant on the loose in the near by Ashwood.
Apparently the giant has come out of the woods the last couple of nights to grab a horse from the stables in town. Many of the townspeople are worried that he’ll start grabbing people next. The city guard is on the lookout for him this evening.
----
Finally in early evening all of the Black Arrows return. It’s still raining out and the inn is quite full, but a little gold secures a private room in the back that you all squeeze into.
Vale has sketched out a map of the fort (http://www.creativeservicesdesign.com/pathfinder/MapByVale.pdf) and he lays it out on the table. Before anyone can begin though, Kahvan speaks up. He says, “I was chatting with some folks down by the docks and some of them made a supply delivery to Fort Rannick just before it was attacked. They said that Commander Bayden left the fort the night before it was attacked.
Jakardros says, “Aye we knew that, it was the 2nd day of the month. He was suppose to go on his communion walk through the forest. I was suppose to be back from patrol before he left.” Jakardros shakes his head then turns toward the party and says, “The 2nd day of each month the commander made it a habit to visit the forest around the area on his own. He said it put him more in tune with nature and the area we defend. He’d only be gone for a couple of nights but during that time I was in charge of the fort. Unfortunately my patrol got delayed so there was not one in charge when the Kreegs attacked.”
Kahvan then jumps back into the conversation, “Yeah, the guys I talked to though said that the commander was seen south of Turtleback ferry though when they returned. He was going into the Shimmerglens.” Jakadros says, “Hmm....he might still be there then. Heard the news and decided to stay there. We might want to searech the area for him prior to the attack. It would give us another strong soldier if he’s there, the trade off being more time for the Kreegs to defend the Fort and possibly discover some of it’s secrets.”
Vale then interjects, “Speaking of the fort...”
Jakardros says, “Right. Here’s the layout. We have a couple of options for attack.
The Aerie - I’ve seen some of you fly, if we can fly or climb the side of the mountain there is a path down from the Aerie we could use to get inside the walls. It’d be behind the defenses and we could strike fast and get inside the main keep.
Tunnels - There are tunnels underneath the keep, we could get in behind the waterfall and then use the tunnels to come up inside the keep. It’s possible we could be spotted going into the waterfall though since it’s right outside the wall. If the alarm is raised in the keep, there’d be no turning back. We also need to be careful in the tunnels as there are a number of shock lizards down there. They don't like the smoke from the Kreeg fires so they'll all be hiding in the tunnels underneath.
The Sluice Gate - The waste releases into the river near the southern gate. There is a sluice there with a grate over it, but it would be possible to go under the water and come through. We’d need smaller folk for that though.
The North Gate - This gate looked badly damaged by their attack to get into the keep. The reinforced it with some timbers, but now that we know about that we could assault it again. It’s probably still weaker than the south gate.
Bluff - A big fella like Wrex could pretend to be an ogre or ogre allie of some sort and get them to open the gate. If we can find out if they have a symbol or something they’d recognize then we might use that to our advantage.
Kreeg Hold - We could bypass the fort and go up to the mountains and attack their stronghold in the mines. That might force them to pull back some ogres from Fort Rannick. The danger would be getting caught between the two groups of ogres or if they instead make an attack on Turtleback ferry while it’s undefended.
Hit and Run - The Kreegs don’t patrol, but we might be able to pick off some on the walls while they return fire with only some rocks. We have a strong range advantage on them. We could weaken them this way. But the fort had plenty of supplies so eventually we’ll have to get in. It might be possible to draw them out. Normally the Kreegs are extremely undisciplined but judging from the first attack we made on them that may not be the case now.
What do you guys think?”
Last edited by Jeremy44 on Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:46 pm; edited 2 times in total
Jeremy44- Posts : 100
Join date : 2012-12-11
Re: Black Arrows RP - 2/22/13
Hoofin Tue Feb 26, 2013 12:08 pm
Questions I will ask/interject to the BA group as appropriate:
"Where do the Kreegs operate out of? Or do they mainly roam the countryside?"
"40 years seems to be quite some time. I find it surprising the Black Arrow company is only 60 large. Is there some strategy or reasoning to why the number was kept at 60?"
"You must be very familiar with the outlying areas directly surrounding the fort. What do you suggest is the best way to approach the fort during the day and during the night? Is it one in the same?"
"Does the fort have any escape paths/tunnels that we can exploit?"
"Can you provide us with a layout of the fort's inner structure? Once inside the fort, are there any barriers/traps that we should be aware of (for example, dead ends, secret doors, armory, etc)?"
Diplomacy roll all the way.
"Where do the Kreegs operate out of? Or do they mainly roam the countryside?"
"40 years seems to be quite some time. I find it surprising the Black Arrow company is only 60 large. Is there some strategy or reasoning to why the number was kept at 60?"
"You must be very familiar with the outlying areas directly surrounding the fort. What do you suggest is the best way to approach the fort during the day and during the night? Is it one in the same?"
"Does the fort have any escape paths/tunnels that we can exploit?"
"Can you provide us with a layout of the fort's inner structure? Once inside the fort, are there any barriers/traps that we should be aware of (for example, dead ends, secret doors, armory, etc)?"
Diplomacy roll all the way.
Hoofin- Admin
- Posts : 85
Join date : 2012-12-10 -
Re: Black Arrows RP - 2/22/13
VitoOracle Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:33 am
I have some other questions I'd like to ask as well:
"Given the long history of the Black Arrows, are there any reserve members who could possibly assist us?"
"In our previous adventures, we faced a goblin tribe who assaulted a small town. This tribe grew strong enough to make such an attack only when it came under new leadership. Have you heard of any similar changes in leadership with the Kreegs?"
"Do you recall any unusual events immediately before or during the attack on the fort? Perhaps that can provide us with some insight as to how or why the Kreegs attacked."
Interspersed with Diplomacy rolls galore.
"Given the long history of the Black Arrows, are there any reserve members who could possibly assist us?"
"In our previous adventures, we faced a goblin tribe who assaulted a small town. This tribe grew strong enough to make such an attack only when it came under new leadership. Have you heard of any similar changes in leadership with the Kreegs?"
"Do you recall any unusual events immediately before or during the attack on the fort? Perhaps that can provide us with some insight as to how or why the Kreegs attacked."
Interspersed with Diplomacy rolls galore.
VitoOracle- Posts : 27
Join date : 2012-12-10
Re: Black Arrows RP - 2/22/13
Jeremy44 Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:57 am
I'll include more details in the story itself to setup the attack. Quick answers:
"Where do the Kreegs operate out of? Or do they mainly roam the countryside?"
They have a stronghold/cave higher back in the Hook Mountains.
"40 years seems to be quite some time. I find it surprising the Black Arrow company is only 60 large. Is there some strategy or reasoning to why the number was kept at 60?"
Casualties of constant fighting. Many do not survive. There have been a lot of new recruits lately, but few lasted long. Now they are only four Black Arrows left.
"You must be very familiar with the outlying areas directly surrounding the fort. What do you suggest is the best way to approach the fort during the day and during the night? Is it one in the same?"
More detail coming on that. Ogres can see at night so that is generally to their advantage.
"Does the fort have any escape paths/tunnels that we can exploit?"
Yes. Map and detail coming.
"Can you provide us with a layout of the fort's inner structure? Once inside the fort, are there any barriers/traps that we should be aware of (for example, dead ends, secret doors, armory, etc)?"
Yes, Vale drew a map. Vale has a gift for engineering and did a lot of work on the forts defenses. So he also knows a lot of weaknesses.
"Given the long history of the Black Arrows, are there any reserve members who could possibly assist us?"
No. Those that don't make it, don't survive. There is no retirement.
"In our previous adventures, we faced a goblin tribe who assaulted a small town. This tribe grew strong enough to make such an attack only when it came under new leadership. Have you heard of any similar changes in leadership with the Kreegs?"
The Kreegs attack was coordinated at a specific time, when both my patrol and the commander where out of the fort. Such timing and planning of attacks, is unusual for the Kreegs (more later).
"Do you recall any unusual events immediately before or during the attack on the fort? Perhaps that can provide us with some insight as to how or why the Kreegs attacked."
(more later)
Jeremy44- Posts : 100
Join date : 2012-12-11
Wrex- Posts : 28
Join date : 2012-12-11
Jeremy44- Posts : 100
Join date : 2012-12-11
Re: Black Arrows RP - 2/22/13
Wrex Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:01 am
“The Aerie - I’ve seen some of you fly, if we can fly or climb the side of the mountain there is a path down from the Aerie we could use to get inside the walls. It’d be behind the defenses and we could strike fast and get inside the main keep.”
Strong possibility.
“Tunnels - There are tunnels underneath the keep, we could get in behind the waterfall and then use the tunnels to come up inside the keep. It’s possible we could be spotted going into the waterfall though since it’s right outside the wall. If the alarm is raised in the keep, there’d be no turning back. We also need to be careful in the tunnels as there are a number of shock lizards down there. They don't like the smoke from the Kreeg fires so they'll all be hiding in the tunnels underneath.”
Strong possibility.
“The Sluice Gate - The waste releases into the river near the southern gate. There is a sluice there with a grate over it, but it would be possible to go under the water and come through. We’d need smaller folk for that though.”
I would have a real problem with this one for obvious reasons.
“The North Gate - This gate looked badly damaged by their attack to get into the keep. The reinforced it with some timbers, but now that we know about that we could assault it again. It’s probably still weaker than the south gate.”
Frontal assault is a last resort always and we have many other options which are better.
“Bluff - A big fella like Wrex could pretend to be an ogre or ogre allie of some sort and get them to open the gate. If we can find out if they have a symbol or something they’d recognize then we might use that to our advantage.”
Between my lack of bluff, feint, diplomacy or otherwise…the outcome will quickly turn into a frontal assault.
“Kreeg Hold - We could bypass the fort and go up to the mountains and attack their stronghold in the mines. That might force them to pull back some ogres from Fort Rannick. The danger would be getting caught between the two groups of ogres or if they instead make an attack on Turtleback ferry while it’s undefended.”
I think should be explored only after taking out the Fort. This is a desperate hail mary move with too many gambles. RP-wise, we should not allow them to threaten Turtleback Ferry either.
“Hit and Run - The Kreegs don’t patrol, but we might be able to pick off some on the walls while they return fire with only some rocks. We have a strong range advantage on them. We could weaken them this way. But the fort had plenty of supplies so eventually we’ll have to get in. It might be possible to draw them out. Normally the Kreegs are extremely undisciplined but judging from the first attack we made on them that may not be the case now.”
I think this should be the first option. We can accomplish three goals by this. First, we would weaken them a little. This is important since our goal to actually wipe out all resistance in the fort. Knowing Jeremy, this means one long battle once we are inside. The sound of fighting means all will come in to reinforce with no easy means of escape. Second, we can determine their numbers and capabilities. Third, it draws them to fortify their front. This feint will allow us to make our main attack elsewhere. Even better is if some of them sally forth and we can pick extra numbers off.
Summary:
We should attempt a hit/run and/or draw them out option first followed up by a major thrust via the Aerie or tunnels. I’m still considering which one of the two is the better option. With the Aerie, we can escape but are caught in the open. With the tunnels, there are many unknowns and no method of escape. However, we can stealth and natural chokepoints. So there are pros and cons for both.
Strong possibility.
“Tunnels - There are tunnels underneath the keep, we could get in behind the waterfall and then use the tunnels to come up inside the keep. It’s possible we could be spotted going into the waterfall though since it’s right outside the wall. If the alarm is raised in the keep, there’d be no turning back. We also need to be careful in the tunnels as there are a number of shock lizards down there. They don't like the smoke from the Kreeg fires so they'll all be hiding in the tunnels underneath.”
Strong possibility.
“The Sluice Gate - The waste releases into the river near the southern gate. There is a sluice there with a grate over it, but it would be possible to go under the water and come through. We’d need smaller folk for that though.”
I would have a real problem with this one for obvious reasons.
“The North Gate - This gate looked badly damaged by their attack to get into the keep. The reinforced it with some timbers, but now that we know about that we could assault it again. It’s probably still weaker than the south gate.”
Frontal assault is a last resort always and we have many other options which are better.
“Bluff - A big fella like Wrex could pretend to be an ogre or ogre allie of some sort and get them to open the gate. If we can find out if they have a symbol or something they’d recognize then we might use that to our advantage.”
Between my lack of bluff, feint, diplomacy or otherwise…the outcome will quickly turn into a frontal assault.
“Kreeg Hold - We could bypass the fort and go up to the mountains and attack their stronghold in the mines. That might force them to pull back some ogres from Fort Rannick. The danger would be getting caught between the two groups of ogres or if they instead make an attack on Turtleback ferry while it’s undefended.”
I think should be explored only after taking out the Fort. This is a desperate hail mary move with too many gambles. RP-wise, we should not allow them to threaten Turtleback Ferry either.
“Hit and Run - The Kreegs don’t patrol, but we might be able to pick off some on the walls while they return fire with only some rocks. We have a strong range advantage on them. We could weaken them this way. But the fort had plenty of supplies so eventually we’ll have to get in. It might be possible to draw them out. Normally the Kreegs are extremely undisciplined but judging from the first attack we made on them that may not be the case now.”
I think this should be the first option. We can accomplish three goals by this. First, we would weaken them a little. This is important since our goal to actually wipe out all resistance in the fort. Knowing Jeremy, this means one long battle once we are inside. The sound of fighting means all will come in to reinforce with no easy means of escape. Second, we can determine their numbers and capabilities. Third, it draws them to fortify their front. This feint will allow us to make our main attack elsewhere. Even better is if some of them sally forth and we can pick extra numbers off.
Summary:
We should attempt a hit/run and/or draw them out option first followed up by a major thrust via the Aerie or tunnels. I’m still considering which one of the two is the better option. With the Aerie, we can escape but are caught in the open. With the tunnels, there are many unknowns and no method of escape. However, we can stealth and natural chokepoints. So there are pros and cons for both.
Wrex- Posts : 28
Join date : 2012-12-11
Re: Black Arrows RP - 2/22/13
Hoofin Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:34 am
Caius:
We shall enact justice on the evil that has fallen upon your men at Fort Rannick. Those responsible will surly fail in whatever mission or purpose they had in taking the fort. I will pray for those that have been lost. I will pray for those that are about to be lost. And I will pray for our success. May Sarenrae guide us.
The behavior of these Kreegs are more beastly than anything. Although strong and large in number, I believe with our tactical edge, we will prove triumphant. That being said, I have some thoughts on your options Jakardos...
"The Aerie - I’ve seen some of you fly, if we can fly or climb the side of the mountain there is a path down from the Aerie we could use to get inside the walls. It’d be behind the defenses and we could strike fast and get inside the main keep."
Not my preference, I like taking the fight head on to them so they can see us coming, underestimating us would be to our advantage. But still, this is a possibility as I am not one to mistake bravery for stupidity.
"Tunnels - There are tunnels underneath the keep, we could get in behind the waterfall and then use the tunnels to come up inside the keep. It’s possible we could be spotted going into the waterfall though since it’s right outside the wall. If the alarm is raised in the keep, there’d be no turning back. We also need to be careful in the tunnels as there are a number of shock lizards down there. They don't like the smoke from the Kreeg fires so they'll all be hiding in the tunnels underneath."
Although I am comfortable in the tunnels and the dark, I do not prefer tactics that require sneaking or trickery. Although this does not entirely fall into that category, there are other tactics we could pursue instead.
"The Sluice Gate - The waste releases into the river near the southern gate. There is a sluice there with a grate over it, but it would be possible to go under the water and come through. We’d need smaller folk for that though."
As my companion Wrex has mentioned, problems for obvious reasons. We could use magics perhaps to shrink him to approprate size, but I wouldnt want to lose that advantage as Wrex is the most formidable at his current size. Fear, awe, and surprise can be used equally as a weapon as the sword in my hand. I vote no on this approach.
"The North Gate - This gate looked badly damaged by their attack to get into the keep. The reinforced it with some timbers, but now that we know about that we could assault it again. It’s probably still weaker than the south gate."
I like this approach best. I understand most of you would have reservations on this, but as i have mentioned before I prefer the direct approach. I have gone into many a situation now worse than this, and somehow Sarenrae and the fates have always guided my companions and I through victory. I don't believe this would be any different. Again, I believe their underestimating us would serve to our advantage. If the majority of you wish to go about another tactic, I won't stop you obviously to jeopardize the mission, but I do believe we could prove triumphant using this frontal assault.
"Bluff - A big fella like Wrex could pretend to be an ogre or ogre allie of some sort and get them to open the gate. If we can find out if they have a symbol or something they’d recognize then we might use that to our advantage."
No. This is something they would do to us and we are better than that. We must lead by example in all situations no matter how dire. It inspires all those around you seen and unseen while at the same time demoralizing the enemy. We do not need to take this road for the small edge it would give us tactically.
"Kreeg Hold - We could bypass the fort and go up to the mountains and attack their stronghold in the mines. That might force them to pull back some ogres from Fort Rannick. The danger would be getting caught between the two groups of ogres or if they instead make an attack on Turtleback ferry while it’s undefended."
Turtleback Ferry cannot be compromised. There are innocents there and any mistakes we make cannot endanger them.
"Hit and Run - The Kreegs don’t patrol, but we might be able to pick off some on the walls while they return fire with only some rocks. We have a strong range advantage on them. We could weaken them this way. But the fort had plenty of supplies so eventually we’ll have to get in. It might be possible to draw them out. Normally the Kreegs are extremely undisciplined but judging from the first attack we made on them that may not be the case now."
A brash assault and still quite tactical. I would not be averse to this approach. My second choice (behind the frontal assault on the broken gate).
We shall enact justice on the evil that has fallen upon your men at Fort Rannick. Those responsible will surly fail in whatever mission or purpose they had in taking the fort. I will pray for those that have been lost. I will pray for those that are about to be lost. And I will pray for our success. May Sarenrae guide us.
The behavior of these Kreegs are more beastly than anything. Although strong and large in number, I believe with our tactical edge, we will prove triumphant. That being said, I have some thoughts on your options Jakardos...
"The Aerie - I’ve seen some of you fly, if we can fly or climb the side of the mountain there is a path down from the Aerie we could use to get inside the walls. It’d be behind the defenses and we could strike fast and get inside the main keep."
Not my preference, I like taking the fight head on to them so they can see us coming, underestimating us would be to our advantage. But still, this is a possibility as I am not one to mistake bravery for stupidity.
"Tunnels - There are tunnels underneath the keep, we could get in behind the waterfall and then use the tunnels to come up inside the keep. It’s possible we could be spotted going into the waterfall though since it’s right outside the wall. If the alarm is raised in the keep, there’d be no turning back. We also need to be careful in the tunnels as there are a number of shock lizards down there. They don't like the smoke from the Kreeg fires so they'll all be hiding in the tunnels underneath."
Although I am comfortable in the tunnels and the dark, I do not prefer tactics that require sneaking or trickery. Although this does not entirely fall into that category, there are other tactics we could pursue instead.
"The Sluice Gate - The waste releases into the river near the southern gate. There is a sluice there with a grate over it, but it would be possible to go under the water and come through. We’d need smaller folk for that though."
As my companion Wrex has mentioned, problems for obvious reasons. We could use magics perhaps to shrink him to approprate size, but I wouldnt want to lose that advantage as Wrex is the most formidable at his current size. Fear, awe, and surprise can be used equally as a weapon as the sword in my hand. I vote no on this approach.
"The North Gate - This gate looked badly damaged by their attack to get into the keep. The reinforced it with some timbers, but now that we know about that we could assault it again. It’s probably still weaker than the south gate."
I like this approach best. I understand most of you would have reservations on this, but as i have mentioned before I prefer the direct approach. I have gone into many a situation now worse than this, and somehow Sarenrae and the fates have always guided my companions and I through victory. I don't believe this would be any different. Again, I believe their underestimating us would serve to our advantage. If the majority of you wish to go about another tactic, I won't stop you obviously to jeopardize the mission, but I do believe we could prove triumphant using this frontal assault.
"Bluff - A big fella like Wrex could pretend to be an ogre or ogre allie of some sort and get them to open the gate. If we can find out if they have a symbol or something they’d recognize then we might use that to our advantage."
No. This is something they would do to us and we are better than that. We must lead by example in all situations no matter how dire. It inspires all those around you seen and unseen while at the same time demoralizing the enemy. We do not need to take this road for the small edge it would give us tactically.
"Kreeg Hold - We could bypass the fort and go up to the mountains and attack their stronghold in the mines. That might force them to pull back some ogres from Fort Rannick. The danger would be getting caught between the two groups of ogres or if they instead make an attack on Turtleback ferry while it’s undefended."
Turtleback Ferry cannot be compromised. There are innocents there and any mistakes we make cannot endanger them.
"Hit and Run - The Kreegs don’t patrol, but we might be able to pick off some on the walls while they return fire with only some rocks. We have a strong range advantage on them. We could weaken them this way. But the fort had plenty of supplies so eventually we’ll have to get in. It might be possible to draw them out. Normally the Kreegs are extremely undisciplined but judging from the first attack we made on them that may not be the case now."
A brash assault and still quite tactical. I would not be averse to this approach. My second choice (behind the frontal assault on the broken gate).
Hoofin- Admin
- Posts : 85
Join date : 2012-12-10 -
Re: Black Arrows RP - 2/22/13
Jeremy44 Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:22 pm
A couple of things to note for you guys.
1) Splitting up - You don't all need to do the same plan. In facts I didn't really expect you too. For example, you could send some small people through the sluice to open the south gate, while another group attacks the north gate. You could have a hit and run feint on the north side, while a group goes through the tunnels at the south.
2) Direct Assault Flying - Climbing or flying up to the Aerie is an option and then assaulting from there. But it's not the only flying option. You could also make a frontal assault using your flyers to get up on top of the wall (or carry people up onto the wall) and then open the gate for the others while they attack. You can memorize more fly spells to add to your flyers.
3) Siege Weapons - You don't have time to construct much, but if you're going frontal you might consider a battering ram. You've got some strong characters to wield it.
-JW
Jeremy44- Posts : 100
Join date : 2012-12-11
Re: Black Arrows RP - 2/22/13
Hoofin Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:35 pm
if we chose to split up...would we play out both encounters? Or would one just "happen"...this is assuming the south gate incursion is by full NPC group. If we mixed and matched the groups...guessing we'd play both out.
Also guessing both would be virtually. You guys want to do it Wednesday nite if snow is bad?
Also guessing both would be virtually. You guys want to do it Wednesday nite if snow is bad?
Hoofin- Admin
- Posts : 85
Join date : 2012-12-10 -
Re: Black Arrows RP - 2/22/13
Jeremy44 Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:46 pm
We would play out both. Depending on the plan - possibly at the same time....
Snow is going to start Tuesday night (late). Work on Wednesday may be in doubt. Currently NWS models have us at 1-8 inches of snow, highest probability is right around 5 inches.
Best to play tomorrow night 8pm-whenever if people are available.
-JW
Jeremy44- Posts : 100
Join date : 2012-12-11
Re: Black Arrows RP - 2/22/13
VitoOracle Mon Mar 04, 2013 4:45 pm
Vito's assessment:
The Aerie - This may work, since I have spells that can conceal us, but unless the surrounding hills are naturally misty, it may still arouse suspicion from the ogres. This option is probably a long shot at best.
Tunnels - I'm not opposed to this strategy, per se, but if something goes wrong, we'd be caught between ogres and shock lizards. I don't even know what shock lizards are, but they sound unfriendly.
The Sluice Gate - I see the strategic benefit in this, but as other have said, our large friend would have an especially difficult time. I vote 'no' on this option.
The North Gate - I suspect that the ogres may have added other 'improvements' to the North Gate in the meantime to lure other groups to attacking and trapping them as before. Not my favorite option.
Bluff - Have you seen what we look like? Have you seen how we fight? We're not a subtle group in the least. I vote 'no' on this one as well.
Kreeg Hold - Wrex and Caius are right. I don't want to leave Turtleback Ferry undefended. This may work if we could split our forces, but I don't think we have enough numbers for that.
Hit and Run - We do have the ability to strike from a distance. Those of us who are more suited to melee combat could possibly take out any detachment the ogres send to stop our attack. I like this approach the best.
The Aerie - This may work, since I have spells that can conceal us, but unless the surrounding hills are naturally misty, it may still arouse suspicion from the ogres. This option is probably a long shot at best.
Tunnels - I'm not opposed to this strategy, per se, but if something goes wrong, we'd be caught between ogres and shock lizards. I don't even know what shock lizards are, but they sound unfriendly.
The Sluice Gate - I see the strategic benefit in this, but as other have said, our large friend would have an especially difficult time. I vote 'no' on this option.
The North Gate - I suspect that the ogres may have added other 'improvements' to the North Gate in the meantime to lure other groups to attacking and trapping them as before. Not my favorite option.
Bluff - Have you seen what we look like? Have you seen how we fight? We're not a subtle group in the least. I vote 'no' on this one as well.
Kreeg Hold - Wrex and Caius are right. I don't want to leave Turtleback Ferry undefended. This may work if we could split our forces, but I don't think we have enough numbers for that.
Hit and Run - We do have the ability to strike from a distance. Those of us who are more suited to melee combat could possibly take out any detachment the ogres send to stop our attack. I like this approach the best.
VitoOracle- Posts : 27
Join date : 2012-12-10
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