Well, I'm assuming we're searching somewhere, so Guile's going to look out for lookouts.
And I guess maybe stumble on some markers too, if they exist
I'm rolling the look for markers roll at -5 because I reckon Guile's distracted trying to spot any Exiles who might be around:
Geth roll 1d20+7 for not running into bad dudes unawares
Geth roll 1d20+2 for looking for trail markers and being distracted by the first roll
not running into bad dudes unawares:
1d20+725 [1d20=18]
looking for trail markers and being distracted by the first roll:
Guile's search of the area goes unnoticed by the Exiles, and that allows him to get close to the wall. He finds a small hunter's knife near a low point in the wall of trees, and some gashes in it, seems that someone was trying to scale the wall here. The small stain of blood ground near the wall suggests that the person didn't make it across, but was at least alive when the Exiles grabbed them.
Bud's search comes across a small area of branches and leaves that have been flatten by a someone who had laid in that place for awhile. Looking from their view, Bud can see that the spying spot had a clear view of the camp, where Guile is, and be able to fire arrows into part of the camp if one had a longbow. Looking around, Bud found a few arrows stuck in the ground nearby, showing that someone had planned on doing just that. But there also seemed to be two other footprints, which meant that someone here was likely captured, but didn't put up a fight. The footprints lead down to the fort.
Here is sure evidence that a man tried to scale a wall and was injured by its defenders.
This is a scene which I have seen so many times before, often inflicted by me on the Exiles themselves.
But here the roles have changed. Here the Exiles are the defenders, and my City's People are the ones intruding.
If this were my city, the hunter would have lost an arm or two by now, if not worse.
How fair is it then for me to still be hoping that the hunter can be returned unscathed, when I would not have afforded the Exiles that possibility myself?
"Well looks like at least one of our boys got caught by these savages. Who knows if he's still alive. I still like waiting till dark. If they patrol out, maybe we jump em. Otherwise maybe try and sneak on up for a look over the wall"
When were were looking at the camp, is there a latrine somewhere? Is it inside or outside the walls?
Mort: "I support any plan that involves hitting them before they hit us." *Muggs gives a little bark of agreement* "If these exiles are hurting civilized folk, I don't really care why. I care for the town first."
The group waits until night, watching the training of the Exiles. It's pretty clear this isn't for hunting or event defense, this is for attacking and fighting large groups. As night starts to fall, the training ends and the Exiles head inside the fort. However, this leaves 5 guards walking around the yard and two standing on top of the fort itself.
Sorry, I'm just a bit confused with what we have in front of us. I think the fort and yard bit is confusing me. Is the yard inside of the building proper, or is the yard the 50 yards between the building and the wall? I guess it kind of boils down to is there 1 wall or 2 between us and the 5 roving guards. How high are the wall and building roof where the other 2 guards are at? And where are the gates or w/e in the fort and exterior wall?
Bud: "Well unless he's got some tricks up his sleeve I reckon we got two options. Either we try an sneak in there or we try and lure a few of em out, and seeings as you two got half a forge worth of steel strapped to yourselves no way we all are getting over that wall unnoticed. And even if we make it over, then we still gotta get to the fort to look around, So here's what I'm a thinking.
We go up a find a spot out there a half mile or there abouts, and light camp fire they can see from here. And find a spot between here and there were can get the jump on em if they come out and take a look, maybe in a dip or gully so the won't be able to see or hear as well from the fort. Try not to kill em, but knock em around a bit and then ask them some questions. Who knows if our boys are even alive, probably been butchered already. So we ask em and find out, if they cut them up already, then we leave em tied to a tree"
*Bud wraps one hand around his neck, and pulls the other up behind his neck, tilting his head to the side*
"and skedaddle on back to Havenhold to warn them about this group out here. They look like they're fixing for some trouble. If they're still alive...well then we'll be in it up to our peckers"
*Bud glances at Zariya*
"Apologies ma'am "
Alternatively I could try to sneak over the back wall, solo. I'm sorta inclined to try that just to not give up the advantage of them not knowing we're here, either with the fire as a distraction or not, But I don't necessarily want to split the party, and idk what I can really expect to learn without getting into the building itself. And Bud aint no ninja. I got enough tricks I could make it out if things go south. but then we're in an even harder position.
Or we could go full on assault, I can burn a ki point to fly up onto the roof if need be, but even trying to drop the seven who are outside without raising the alarm would be hard. I just don't have a feel for how 13th age combat is balanced to know if these odds are as suicidal as them seem on paper
Mort: "so, after careful consideration of my abilities, I can be either very VERY loud in one place, or I can drain a little vim and vigor from one person at a moderate distance."
Sorry, had a sudden trip out of town, so I've been busy and will be for most the weekend, but let's update this real quick.
@timwhiskers Combat in 13th Age is kinda deadly, like you aren't as tough as 4E characters but you also shouldn't have the problem of being one shot by an attack (most of the time). The last combat I did here for the first group will give you an idea of what to expect from a normal fight. But that NPC group was also targeting only the ACs of a group with high AC.
Guile spots a place down slightly uphill from the fort. It's not great for providing a lot of hiding spots for an ambush, but it is uphill, which might slow them down heading towards them. It's better than nothing, Guile figures.
Do you want to set up your campfire/ambush here? If so, I'll need a group stealth check, DC 10 with 3/4 passing to not be seen by the bandits until you want to be seen.
The group set up the campfire so it could be clearly seen from the fort and took their spots. And after a few minutes, three men from the fort came to investigate. They moved cautiously, looking for any signs of ambush. As they got close to the fire, they saw that no one was there, and turned around to look for whoever started the campfire.
If you attack, roll imitative and you'll get a surprise round. Otherwise, do as you want with these three men.
The three men looked around, but couldn't spot anyone.
"I don't like the looks of this... smells like a trap to me." said the Dwarf Exiled.
"Come out, folks. We ain't aiming to hurt you. We saw your fire and wanted to see what was going on." said a Half-Orc exiled.
"We are just down there in the old fort. Got food and warm beds, no need to be out here in the cold." the Gnome replied as he gripped his little staff tight.
@tinwhiskers You get to make the first move since you guys got surprise on your side. Just because Initiative has been rolled doesn't mean you have to fight them. You can still talk to them, but they are nervous looking and prepared for a fight.
Combat Order- Escalation Die 0
Exiled 1 (Dwarf) (25)
Exiled 2 (Half-Orc) (17)
Bud (16) 30/30 HP
Guile (12) 28/28 HP
Mort (9) 19/19 HP
Zariya (8) 27/27 HP
Exiled 3 (Gnome) (8)
PC Stats
Bud 30 HP 15 AC 16 PD 13 MD
Zariya 27 HP 20 AC 12 PD 14 MD
Guile 28 HP 20 AC 13 PD 15 MD
Mort 19 HP 12 AC 11 PD 13 MD
Guile's eyes darted around the area, landing briefly where he knew his friends were.
Still unsure about attacking someone else's walls, he had half a mind to talk to the exiles.
In full city livery.
Outside the protection of his fort.
It was a dumb idea, but it'd make it simpler if the men were hostile from the outset.
Bud rushes into melee range of the dwarf and growls "You no good dirty savages, didn't think we'd find out about our hunters" Then slams his fist into the dwarf.
Geth roll 1d20+6 for Panther Pops free,
Geth Roll 1d6+4 for non-lethal damage
e:
Because Bud used an opening move from one of his forms, he get's +1 to AC till the start of his next turn.
Also I have
Spinning Willow Style
When a ranged attack or close-quarters attack that targets AC hits you, you can roll a normal save. If you succeed, you take only half damage from the attack.
Adventurer Feat: You can now use Spinning Willow Style to save against ranged attacks and close-quarters attacks that target PD.
IDK if @Grunt's Ghosts you want to just roll those, if/when you attack me, just for flow purposes. And if something really bad happens I'll let you know I want to burn a ki point to auto-save.
Ǵuile watches as Bud rushes in. Guess we're taking the direct route then.
As Guile rushes out, he draws on all his past battles and defenses of the town to grant him power.
A silent prayer to keep the innocent safe.
And once more the power answers him, bolstering his resolve.
And with that, Guile swings the flat of his sword straight at the half-orc.
... And the powerful attack bounces off the Orc's armour.
Guile activates his halo, gaining +2 defense until he is hit [22 AC, 15 PD, 17 MD]
He also activates his smite.
Geth roll 1d20+4 for to hit
Geth roll 1d12+1d8+3 for damage (half on miss)
Guile looks at the sword and then looks back at the Half-Orc.
"Ah. Hmm.
I don't suppose you lot would mind releasing your captives to us, so that we can give them a sound talking to about the evils of trespassing?"
Posts
And I guess maybe stumble on some markers too, if they exist
I'm rolling the look for markers roll at -5 because I reckon Guile's distracted trying to spot any Exiles who might be around:
Geth roll 1d20+7 for not running into bad dudes unawares
Geth roll 1d20+2 for looking for trail markers and being distracted by the first roll
Bud's search comes across a small area of branches and leaves that have been flatten by a someone who had laid in that place for awhile. Looking from their view, Bud can see that the spying spot had a clear view of the camp, where Guile is, and be able to fire arrows into part of the camp if one had a longbow. Looking around, Bud found a few arrows stuck in the ground nearby, showing that someone had planned on doing just that. But there also seemed to be two other footprints, which meant that someone here was likely captured, but didn't put up a fight. The footprints lead down to the fort.
Here is sure evidence that a man tried to scale a wall and was injured by its defenders.
This is a scene which I have seen so many times before, often inflicted by me on the Exiles themselves.
But here the roles have changed. Here the Exiles are the defenders, and my City's People are the ones intruding.
If this were my city, the hunter would have lost an arm or two by now, if not worse.
How fair is it then for me to still be hoping that the hunter can be returned unscathed, when I would not have afforded the Exiles that possibility myself?
Guile's eyes narrow.
I will have to talk with these hunters.
When were were looking at the camp, is there a latrine somewhere? Is it inside or outside the walls?
"We need to take care of the two up top before we get in the courtyard. We don't need the whole fort waking up."
She turns to Mort, "You got anything that will help out with that?"
We go up a find a spot out there a half mile or there abouts, and light camp fire they can see from here. And find a spot between here and there were can get the jump on em if they come out and take a look, maybe in a dip or gully so the won't be able to see or hear as well from the fort. Try not to kill em, but knock em around a bit and then ask them some questions. Who knows if our boys are even alive, probably been butchered already. So we ask em and find out, if they cut them up already, then we leave em tied to a tree"
*Bud wraps one hand around his neck, and pulls the other up behind his neck, tilting his head to the side*
"and skedaddle on back to Havenhold to warn them about this group out here. They look like they're fixing for some trouble. If they're still alive...well then we'll be in it up to our peckers"
*Bud glances at Zariya*
"Apologies ma'am "
Or we could go full on assault, I can burn a ki point to fly up onto the roof if need be, but even trying to drop the seven who are outside without raising the alarm would be hard. I just don't have a feel for how 13th age combat is balanced to know if these odds are as suicidal as them seem on paper
"Agreed, ambush seems like our best bet. Did any of you notice a good vantage point for the lure fire?"
Would that be a WIS+background to see if I noticed a good place?
@timwhiskers Combat in 13th Age is kinda deadly, like you aren't as tough as 4E characters but you also shouldn't have the problem of being one shot by an attack (most of the time). The last combat I did here for the first group will give you an idea of what to expect from a normal fight. But that NPC group was also targeting only the ACs of a group with high AC.
@Hellbore Yeah, that will work.
Geth roll 1d20+7 for chokepoint analysis
Do you want to set up your campfire/ambush here? If so, I'll need a group stealth check, DC 10 with 3/4 passing to not be seen by the bandits until you want to be seen.
Whilst walking to the chokepoint Guile adds:
"How many of them do we want to ambush?
If the entire fort comes out to investigate the fire, should we not attack the fort?"
The group set up the campfire so it could be clearly seen from the fort and took their spots. And after a few minutes, three men from the fort came to investigate. They moved cautiously, looking for any signs of ambush. As they got close to the fire, they saw that no one was there, and turned around to look for whoever started the campfire.
If you attack, roll imitative and you'll get a surprise round. Otherwise, do as you want with these three men.
"I don't like the looks of this... smells like a trap to me." said the Dwarf Exiled.
"Come out, folks. We ain't aiming to hurt you. We saw your fire and wanted to see what was going on." said a Half-Orc exiled.
"We are just down there in the old fort. Got food and warm beds, no need to be out here in the cold." the Gnome replied as he gripped his little staff tight.
@tinwhiskers You get to make the first move since you guys got surprise on your side. Just because Initiative has been rolled doesn't mean you have to fight them. You can still talk to them, but they are nervous looking and prepared for a fight.
Combat Order- Escalation Die 0
Exiled 2 (Half-Orc) (17)
Bud (16) 30/30 HP
Guile (12) 28/28 HP
Mort (9) 19/19 HP
Zariya (8) 27/27 HP
Exiled 3 (Gnome) (8)
PC Stats
Zariya 27 HP 20 AC 12 PD 14 MD
Guile 28 HP 20 AC 13 PD 15 MD
Mort 19 HP 12 AC 11 PD 13 MD
Still unsure about attacking someone else's walls, he had half a mind to talk to the exiles.
In full city livery.
Outside the protection of his fort.
It was a dumb idea, but it'd make it simpler if the men were hostile from the outset.
Geth roll 1d20+6 for Panther Pops free,
Geth Roll 1d6+4 for non-lethal damage
e:
Because Bud used an opening move from one of his forms, he get's +1 to AC till the start of his next turn.
Also I have
When a ranged attack or close-quarters attack that targets AC hits you, you can roll a normal save. If you succeed, you take only half damage from the attack.
Adventurer Feat: You can now use Spinning Willow Style to save against ranged attacks and close-quarters attacks that target PD.
IDK if @Grunt's Ghosts you want to just roll those, if/when you attack me, just for flow purposes. And if something really bad happens I'll let you know I want to burn a ki point to auto-save.
@discrider
Combat Order- Escalation Die 0
Exiled 2 (Half-Orc) (17)
Bud (16) 30/30 HP
Guile (12) 28/28 HP
Mort (9) 19/19 HP
Zariya (8) 27/27 HP
Exiled 3 (Gnome) (8)
PC Stats
Zariya 27 HP 20 AC 12 PD 14 MD
Guile 28 HP 20 AC 13 PD 15 MD
Mort 19 HP 12 AC 11 PD 13 MD
Guess we're taking the direct route then.
As Guile rushes out, he draws on all his past battles and defenses of the town to grant him power.
A silent prayer to keep the innocent safe.
And once more the power answers him, bolstering his resolve.
And with that, Guile swings the flat of his sword straight at the half-orc.
... And the powerful attack bounces off the Orc's armour.
He also activates his smite.
Geth roll 1d20+4 for to hit
Geth roll 1d12+1d8+3 for damage (half on miss)
"Ah. Hmm.
I don't suppose you lot would mind releasing your captives to us, so that we can give them a sound talking to about the evils of trespassing?"
@QuantumTurk
Combat Order- Escalation Die 0
Exiled 2 (Half-Orc) (17)- 8 Damage
Bud (16) 30/30 HP
Guile (12) 28/28 HP
Mort (9) 19/19 HP
Zariya (8) 27/27 HP
Exiled 3 (Gnome) (8)
PC Stats
Zariya 27 HP 20 AC 12 PD 14 MD
Guile 28 HP 20 AC 13 PD 15 MD
Mort 19 HP 12 AC 11 PD 13 MD
As the power drained out of his sword mid-swing, Guile gets a troubling feeling that he has done something terribly wrong.