More Planning, Temple Entrance Map
Subject: ummmmm....
So, am I supposed to write a turn now?
From: Mike
Subject: ummmmm....
OOC: I think we're all waiting to see what the next person says...
IC:
"As I see it, we can only gain entrance to the mountain through strength or stealth. Even using all of your skills," Garyth looks at both Farron and Sa'id, "I don't think we can overcome the odds we face by force. Our best shot is to cause some sort of diversion and sneak past while our enemies are occupied." He pauses for a moment. "I want to hear Rennik's findings before we decide."
From: Scott
Subject: ummmmm....
Mission fights the impatient clutch of his stomach. "Twenty zombies in the tunnel. Thirty more at the entrance to the mountain, plus human and halfling guards. . . we have no chance of survival if we confront them head on."
"Let Rennick do his scouting, but we should not rest here. Or anywhere in these tunnels. That half-orc and his men-- they were a patrol, if ever I saw one. We should strike tonight. There is no safety in this darkness."
From: Raja
Subject: ummmmm....
"If we strike tonight," Sa'id replies quietly, "we will accomplish nothing. How do you propose we subdue Anileth until Promise is born? Especially so near to the source of her power?" He shakes his head. "I confess that the solution to this puzzle still eludes me. I am not certain how we are to save your child from his mother, when we cannot truly harm her until he is born... and when he is born, it will already be too late. Somehow, we must ensure that he is born into safety... but we cannot defeat Anileth..." he trails off. If he could not solve the puzzle, who else of them could be expected to? The night would tell, he decided... and the next day would be the test.
"The counsel of a diversion is wise, though we cannot be sure how effective it will be. And I am quite capable of creating a... large... diversion."
From: Matt
Subject: Scouting the temple
Rennik returns with a furrowed brow and sour expression.
"It's bad."
He sits down, rubbing his forhead for a moment before continuing. Tichenor sits at his side and nuzzles under his hand for attention.
"There are at least twenty zombies, near that many halflings, and a handful of human soldiers. The halflings are armed similarly to those we encountered days ago, with bows and leather armor, though they carry axes instead of swords. The humans are more mixed. Three are like those who traveled with the shebitch and the Brute, ragtag and roadworn. One is far more capable, clad in a shining chain shirt with the bearing of a true warrior. The last is a scarred and disfigured woman, who I would assume is there because of talent with magery."
"There are four fire pits. Two within twenty feet of the temple entrance, and two roughly 80 feet from the entrance. The zombies are closer to the temple and avoid the fires of the living, and the humans sit at one of the further fires - seemingly just above the ladder we saw."
"I did not see the Brute, which worries me. Either he has gone into the temple itself, or he has come back down into these tunnels. Regardless, an attack above ground would likely bring up the soldier in plate mail from the end of the tunnel along with the three crossbowmen, and draw the Brute and more from inside the temple."
"Also, an attack would likely trigger the zombies in the side tunnel to come up behind us."
Rennik sighs, absently patting Tichenor's head and thinking.
"The good news is that the ruins offer great protection against detection. We can move pretty easily from one building to the next in the dark, as the temple defenders will be mostly blind from their firelight. They are cocky and make lots of noise, so even the priest can sneak within 100 feet or so of the entrance without much problem. The zombie tunnel opens out about 200 feet or so away."
"The difficulty is finding a way to distract the guards."
"The zombies are mindless and will go where they are commanded. I know no ways to trick them other than presenting an obvious threat that forces them to act. The halflings look to be barbarians and scouts, comfortable in the wilderness, and will likely be dispatched first to check the surrounding woods if a problem is suspected."
"The men are more difficult. Men are lazy and stupid, and with so much protection they are likely to remain close to the temple entrance. Their chain-clad leader worries me, because he is obviously battle hardened and not likely to fall for parlor tricks. The witch is a complete unknown. Further, any disturbance will likely call more from inside the temple and up from the tunnels."
"Short of sending a herd of H'rugda or a mated pair of swamp dragons to scatter the defenders, I can't see any easy options. And even that would leave us with beasts to bypass without getting mauled, if it were even possible."
"It may be possible to circle around to the west end of the tunnel and cause a diversion on the east. The west side offers a wall we might be able to use as cover, and if the halflings and zombies at that corner are drawn off, and the humans' attentions diverted, we might be able to slip in unnoticed."
"Getting out again, however, is a different problem entirely."
As he speaks, Rennik scratches out a rough map on the floor of the tunnel, indicating the temple entrance, the firepits, the ruined buildings and the rough placement of the defenders.
(OOC: Ty, was Rennik able to gather any Belladonna to distribute to the party?)
From: Matt
Subject: Re: Scouting the temple
Oh, as to the map, here's the key Ty provided:
Map Key:
The black blob is mount kessel itself.
The gray attachment to kessel is the entrance to the temple.
The gray boxes scattered about are the remains of ruined buildings.
The ruin marked A is the one you are in. The arrow shows the direction you would use to enter or exit that ruin. That ruin is about 20 feet on a side, if that gives you an indication of the scale of the map.
The ruin marked B is the one that you believe sits on top of the ladder in the other tunnel.
X's are bad guys.
Yellow X's are halflings.
Green X's are humans.
Black X's are zombies.
Red and yellow circles are firepits.