Chapter 1:Mobilizing at Malforten

[Hywaywolf]

"I never intended that we should try to turn him. I suggest that if Eryl trusts Kerrywyn that we get Kerrywyn to buy some fish or produce from Gwion and while he is in the tavern making his delivery we talk about our plans to send a couple scouts out to set up a stakeout of the river crossing to watch for raiding bandits. They will set up a signal fire on a hill to alert the town if raiders are coming."

We'll make sure he hears it, then put a couple scouts to watch him carefully - trading off so that he doesn't get suspicious - to make sure he makes contact with his spy network. Then we go out and build a stakeout spot, put up a signal fire (unlit of course) next to it, then we all set up an ambush site further back that overlooks the best ambush approach the gobs are likely to take. If we are able to take any prisoners we can question them, if not we can follow the survivors. I figure if we say there will be two scouts there they might send 3-4 gobs with a wolf or two to take them out. or maybe 4-5. if we are all there, bows ready. we should do alright.

[Woe]

"We'll need bait. The raiders won't attack an unguarded, unlit signal fire. The best choice for bait is Gwion. Once he leaks the 'plan' with the raiders, we dress him up as a town guard and send him to the signal fire, at arrowpoint if need be."

Sanzaru thinks about the plan for a bit longer.

"I'm not a good shot with a bow. I'm going to see if Eryl can scrounge up a mount for me." With that parting note, Sanzaru excuses himself from breakfast to go find a 'warping'.

[Woe]

OOC: If we want Sanzaru to be the bait, he's game. He knows he isn't as fast as the scouts nor as good with a bow, and hiding and sneaking isn't really his idea of valor anyway. I'm hopeful that the town has a war pony decked out and willing to be loaned out. But if not, he'll have to do something.

A dwarfen lumbering anvil sneaking through the forest would make enough noise to wake the dead.

[Hywaywolf]

perhaps if we could get one of the town militia to man the stakeout location to serve as bait would work, since you would rather melee anyway. A couple horses for a quick getaway if necessary. I think you can forget about a warhorse at this stage of our development, they are pretty expensive to buy and to own so just a fast horse for now would be best. Hopefully we can take out the attacking gobs/gnolls before they get to you.

[Blazeguard]

OOC: Once you have a clear course of action just let me know (even if it's just a general idea) and then if you don't mind I can 'story' it up a bit.

[Woe]

Somewhere between OOC and IC: I can't let a militiaman be bait unless I am being more heroic elsewhere on the battlefield. If the plan is a lot of artillery with hit&run tactics, you'll need to give me a six hour head start to be within melee range -- both ways. If Eryl strikes out on the warping, I've naught to do but let surprise them when the bait stings back.

[Hywaywolf]

(OOC: I wasn't planning on using hit and run. I meant to have the rangers setup in an ambush site overlooking the stakeout site such that we attack the gobs/gnolls before they reach the stakeout site. Hopefully it will take a couple more rounds for the newly attacked gnoll party to reach the two people (sanzaru and a militia NPC) who could have set up a oil trap, possibly covered with leaves to disguise it, that they could light with the signal fire torch when the enemy enters the oil area. by the time any meleers reach your position hopefully there will be less of them.

We just need to select a stakeout site with only one good approach area and a way out behind if you have to run that also has a good ambush spot covering the approach route.)

[Woe]

To make this actionable:
- one or more scouts go and find a proper ambush site
- meanwhile, sanzaru tries to find a war ping, then a lot of oil
- meanwhile, others?

Once the scouts come back with the location, we can feed the misinformation and then wait for the BBQ to start.

[Hywaywolf]

do I need to play the "never split the party" song again?

(BTW, do you have enough gold to buy and outfit a war pony?)

[Woe]

OOC: Which song? And why not -- especially in PbE? It doesn't really it's a "normal" to expect the entire party to hang out together 24x7. Example: scouts want to scout out an ambush site but with the dwarf, will take 3x longer to get there and any hope for stealth goes out the window with all my clanking and crashing about.

And no, I don't have the $. I can't even afford a simple pony. I'm not that hopeful but I have nothing to lose. I expect a 'no' but it gives me the chance to wander around town a bit.