Clearly, Sandar- I mean, Linnam, you need to name your animals, or they just wander off on you. :|

So, DM, let me paraphrase what you said, and you tell me if I've got it right. If we were to go up around the bend, we would expect to see a guardpost along the path, and a steep stairway from it up to the tower, which is atop the cliff alongside the path. The cliff is 50' tall, and the top of "the tower" is where we see the flag currently. About how big is this guardpost thing? Does it have arrow slits and things? How many goblins could be inside it, and would they be able to defend it well? There isn't a gate to bar the path with, right?

So, trickery aside, we could in principle try to ride through, figuring that the goblins might shoot some arrows at us and/or try to follow; I'm not so keen on this because it doesn't have the battle that Barik has heretofore been denied. Also, running away from the orcs up the cliffside wasn't any fun, and this probably won't be any better. Or we could turn the corner and find that the goblins are all up at the tower, and we could either try to run up the stairway at them or make a break for it. I won't seriously consider the prospect that they put up their flag and then went home.

"We need to assess the situation, in any case. In these uncertain times, one cannot guarantee anything, but I would hazard that we have not far to go; the sixth watchtower is in Dwarven territory, and I would expect the road beyond it to be safe. There is probably little harm in `Taur'egk' and Grell proposing a parley with the goblins; if they are hostile, you can retreat back here. Should it come to battle, I would like to draw them, or at least some of them, to fight on our terms, before we charge at an entrenched position."

Barik's amenable to any reasonable plan: anything suggested so far, or himself or Sandarkar proceeding invisibly to reconnoiter first. Dru and Grell, decide if you want to go, the rest of us will cover you if you retreat; if you want an invisible buddy to go along with you (and possibly go back for help if necessary), Barik would be happy to do that. If Barik's offering covering fire, he readies his shortbow, otherwise he's got his melee weapons in each hand.

I'm hungry for action; unless you've got a really revolutionary (and good) idea, let's finalize the details and get this ball rolling.
posted by Scholeologist at 1/03/2004 11:57:00 PM

Apparently, editing my posts sends them back in time. I don't suppose there's any way I can use this to my advantage by generating a post that says "Barik yells `it's a trap!'" when we saw the soldier waving from the cliffside oh so long ago? :)
posted by Scholeologist at 1/03/2004 01:24:00 PM

"Such a plan is fine with me -- I'll join the bowmen in that case. But, as you say Bishop, we should not assume that these goblins have anything to do with Taur'egk -- alliances between goblins and orcs are rare and short-lived, except for goblins impressed a few at a time into service by orcs. Since they're flying their flag, I doubt that's the case here. Also, to get information, we may need to know the gibbering goblin language -- does anyone here know it?"

Incidentally, the idea of a large battle and/or a pile of dead goblin bodies sounds perfectly good to Barik, who's anxious for the dice rolls of the gods to throw some critical hits in his favor instead of against him. :)
posted by Scholeologist at 1/03/2004 01:14:00 PM

Regarding the human scouts out and about the countryside, "This plan to send a small group to Argunn Lode, to ask for a dwarven guide, is a much safer course regardless. A dwarven patrol who came upon a random party of soldiers sneaking about the countryside would not know what to think, and would have to bring the soldiers, under arrest, back to town to sort things out. Such a misunderstanding could be disastrous."

Later, on the road: "These goblins call themselves the Wasters of the Land, but we usually call them the Dead Horse tribe. Though they are many, they are but loosely organized, and not generally a threat -- hence the phrase `to beat a Dead Horse' means to do something not worth the trouble, to the dwarves of these parts. They are clearly not planning an ambush, but are probably organized, with a leader, who may well be a hobgoblin, from what I have heard.

"Perhaps we can lead them into an ambush of our own? I propose we position the best archers (Bishop and Sandarkar) on the ground, between one and two search-lengths -- uh, I mean, around 100' -- from that bend in the road. The cavalry -- Alonzo and Grell -- can be arrayed similarly. Milady (Drusilla), I would not presume to judge in what way you can best bring your unique skills to bear -- no doubt that should be for you to decide. I will sneak up and peek around the corner. If there is something more dangerous than a dozen or so goblins, I will come back and report; if I see a mere patrol or two, perhaps with a few hobgoblins, I'll taunt them and draw back. When they follow, they will find rather more than a lone dwarf to face them."
posted by Scholeologist at 1/02/2004 05:52:00 PM

[All Bob's TBs]
Just in case you missed it, my last post came in (for reasons I can't explain) as if it were posted earlier than Sandarkar's on Jan. 1. Grell sounded like he had read it, but I wasn't sure if Sandarkar had.

It sounds like Sandarkar's trying to work out some guilt issues...

In my discussions with the DM, he's clarified for me that it's perfectly ok for good characters to kill creatures, as long as they're "not nice". Admittedly, a little callous, but life is short in this brutal D&D world we (virtually) live in. As far as orcs who've recently tried to kill him go, Barik's opinion is that they are definitely not nice. :)

But after his initial comments, Barik doesn't push the issue -- he doesn't really care too much what happens to the orcs.
posted by Scholeologist at 1/02/2004 12:46:00 PM

[To Sandarkar/Linnam]
"Certainly, portraying yourself as something closer to the truth will be viewed better by the authorities in Argunn Lode -- or at least, the merchant's son facade will probably be construed as an insult, or worse.

[To all]
"And Argunn Lode is liable to be a better source of information than following the retreating orcs. What we know of them suggests they were enlisted by Taur'egk, but are likely returning home, not to him. My Brothers in arms have been sent to find out more about these plots -- if they have returned, those that investigated the ambush site before we arrived may tell us everything of the orcs to the west anyway, and furthermore I suspect the most fruitful news may come from north of Argunn Lode.

"As far as the orc prisoners go, I think the fleeing survivors are spreading the word enough -- the orcs to the west will see how well the `Axemaster's' decision served him. I don't expect them to cause us any trouble if we journey northward, but every orc left alive is another ten orcs in the next generation. Someday, they will overwhelm us by sheer numbers, if we do not keep vigilant in keeping their population controlled. Why let these go to produce more? In addition to raw numbers, each orc left to run home is an orc raping prisoners, an orc touting our supposed weakness as a justification for destroying us. I am not for causing suffering in any creature, but sending them to Gruumsh need not be cruel.

"In normal circumstances, the road would be safe, and the uneventful return of the advance guards from the next two watch towers is encouraging. But these are uncertain times. A band of orcs seeking to plunder the caravan's wagons we could probably handle, although there are further ambush points between here and there. To be honest, I would think the soldiers bearing the caravan's goods south would have more to worry about than us.

"The other passage is mostly underground, and is also not unknown to the orcs. On the one hand, I have made my way through tunnels like these day after day without any problems, but on the other hand, in addition to the small chance of running into orcs, there is always the possibility of some nasty tunnel-dweller giving us a hard time. There are any number of poisonous critters that live in the earth hereabouts.

"Either way holds the possibility of peril, but I would be surprised (yet again) if we couldn't make our way through on either path. From what I have seen of this group, I suspect the road might be an easier environment to bring everyone's skills into play, but that is only my impression.

"As far as bringing you to my people, I am not concerned that I might bring Taur'egk's wrath upon them -- though this is the first strike he has made against your people, it has been clear from the start that he means to unite the orcs against us. A few humans here and there are not going to change his mad plans of conquest. I expect the council of Argunn Lode would be happy to help strike at him, although if they have suffered setbacks while I have been away, I do not know what resources they may have to spare."

[Barik's TB] As for your moral character, I expect the council would not approve, either of getting their hands dirty or nursemaiding you lot into some semblance of moral character. But we cannot afford to turn away allies, unsavory or not, and if it serves my people for me to not tell the council details they don't want to hear, I will do it.

[Bob's TB] As far as alignment assessment goes, I've got a lot of jibber-jabber, but I obviously talk too much already, so I'll leave that out and summarize with a first approximation of "lawful neutral to lawful evil, depending." Lawful good would be hard to justify, since being willing to "do anything" presumes being willing to break personal codes of moral conduct in service to some larger system of order.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
posted by Scholeologist at 1/01/2004 03:02:00 PM

Hmm. I wonder whether Alonzo's horse is secretly a transformed sorceress. If someone kisses her, will she turn into the Alchemist's lost love? (Yes, I know-- one letter difference.)
posted by Jacob T. Levy at 12/31/2003 10:43:00 AM

All right, I'd like to formally propose that we all talk together now-- all the PCs, Bishop, and Kray. I tell Kray I'm thinking about his change-the-disguise suggestion-- "I mislike having two stories attached to the same name, but at this stage it would be much too conspicuous to become someone else entirely-- so I think Sandarkar the merchant's son should simply receive a field promotion for useful services rendered, rather than creating a new Sandarkar who has always been in the Duke's service."

As far as the orcs: "I favor releasing them and letting them spread the word; indeed, I spent some time with one of them yesterday trying to turn him into an evangelist for forsaking Taur'egk. But it depends in part on which way we go. If we decide to travel west, I do not want them dogging our heels. And I think Grell and the dwarves know more of orcish ways than I do; let us see what they have to say when we talk."
posted by Jacob T. Levy at 12/31/2003 10:42:00 AM

For what it's worth, I'm happy to hear that Kray thinks the thing to do is head to Argunn Lode and find out what they know. I'm all for that. I want to know the fate of my Brothers...including Ulfgar. He hasn't shown up here, has he?
posted by Scholeologist at 12/30/2003 10:01:00 PM

Princess Bride.

I'm very happy (but not maudlin) to have my bosom companion back. I never really worried about him taking care of himself, really-- no images of electrocuted badger --

Anyway, I'm keen for the big general council thing.
posted by Scholeologist at 12/30/2003 05:36:00 PM

Like I said in the "prior post" I referred to, I ask Alonzo if I can borrow Emeralda to go down and look for Spade. Since some folks have now arrived with micro-sized horses, I will ask to borrow one of them if Alonzo's occupied or unwilling. I just figured getting a horse to go the half-mile or more that it takes to get down the cliff in one piece would take less time.
posted by Scholeologist at 12/30/2003 01:44:00 PM

Looking up spells in the book is _so_ cheating. :)

My actions are still the same as in prior post -- get a horse if possible, look for Spade, memorize Animal Messenger, eat breakfast. mmm...food...

Character-wise, I'm pleasantly surprised by Bishop's comments of the night before. I understand and sympathize with Alonzo's concerns, but ...
"There is a real threat to deal with, and these are the only significant group of fighting men in the immediate area. I think they mean well, even if they are sometimes blinded by rage and temperament. It is our duty to stay with them, keep them on the right path as much as we can, both literally and figuratively."

Barik never thought he'd be someone else's moral compass...heck, he didn't even think he'd be agreeing with Alonzo about anything...
posted by Scholeologist at 12/29/2003 06:25:00 PM