Get angry, get methodical

Morin · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 11

I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of the treatment we've been getting from the locals. It seems the word in the jungle is that it's Ok to:
-kill our villagers by the dozens
-possess our bodies
-take our women

I think it's time to lay some smack-down, and teach the local critters that you don't mess with Golden and its denizens.
These orcs have a dwelling, most likely a cave complex, which we can find. We need a plan in addition to our righteous anger.

When we track down orcs, is our primary goal to rescue our people or kick ass first? We either approach this as a sneak-and-rescue or kill-them-all operation. In either case, I envision being discovered and overwhelmed with numbers, so we have to plan for a big fight. Also if he dwelling is underground, most of us will not be able to see there. This poses a challenge to Morin snooping out the complex (although Yaman Hazim is a halfling and can see better in the dark).

Do we have time to prepare, or do we need to rescue our people before the get sacrificed? The orc attack was not merely rape and pillage - they were too keen on efficiently capturing women, rather than killing fighters. My hypothesis is that the orcs need women for a sacrifice (religious or to a dragon, etc.) I would imagene it's not religious, because it seems the orcs were under time pressure. So, we probably don't have time to prepare, however failure due to lack of preparation would help nobody.

Where is Sirus? If he can make it back to us, Cosimo can telepathically communicate with him and Morin can talk to him in Serpish - we can figure out all sorts of stuff about the orc complex.

We should scavenge supplies that remain in Golden, a few healing potions, etc. and press Radcliffe for a few scrolls (read: fireball!)
I think with basic preparation and scouting we should be able to blow through the orcs.

Any other ideas or suggestions

Alexander Chronicle · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 30 Location: Marwon

Morin,

Your concerns are noted.

I agree now is a great time to lay the smack-down on the orcs.
To me the primary goal should always be to rescue the people. I think it is a better plan to be a hero to the living, instead of an avenger of the dead.
Press the more experienced adventurers (Radcliff, Strick, Jeremiah, and Yaman) for information now. We still have no knowledge of what information they might already posses on the orcs. Get Barnaby to "see" any information from the dead orcs.
Might want to get the "Invincible" one conscious - perhaps John Dreck or Jeremiah can help with that.

Using Sirus as a Telepathic go between is an excellent idea. Hopefully we can actually use that.
If the orcs are actually in a cave complex, light spells would be a must (i.e. Jeremiah).
If you are going to charge in the place, try not to get yourselves or the hostages killed. That would be an incredible downer.

As for why the orcs are doing this? I think it is for religious rites.
Now how to stop the rites...no idea.

They have at least one high level magic using type, probably a high level cleric. At least one to two high level fighters, and at least six mounted troupes.

One last note, hopefully we faced 80 - 90% of the force of the orcs and not just a "small" advanced force.
_________________
I will save my family (the Savior Party), even if I have to go through the GODS to do it!

Odin 241 · Joined: 29 Sep 2005 Posts: 44

And how do we know you won't join them in their religous rites, paladin?

Technically, it's only my player who's not invincible, because he forgot to *cough* add damage reduction.

These orcs seem to rely on movement. ETangle rounds should be central to our strategy. Me and the Paladin can cover the spellcaster while he releases some serious whoop, preferably from a scroll. Morin can sneak around -- wait, he can't see. In fact, unless the Orcs have trapped their dungeon to shits, I don't see much use for Morin. Radcliffe seems to be highly practiced in the arcane, however, and maybe he can do [url href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/darkvision.htm"]something[/url]to help Morin see. If it is possible, the big human and the elf wizard would be incredibly useful, but they will probably be occupied with rebuilding Golden.

It is time to lay some 'smackdown' on the orcs, I agree.
_________________
I am invincible.

Cosimo · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 14

A few things to note:

* We brought a prisoner back to town. Questioning him should be possible with high-level spellcaster help. Even if the prisoner was released during the attack, there might still be some Orcs who were merely brought unconscious in the battle, and who could be brought back to consciousness with a healing spell -- these could make great sources of information about the Orcs' complex and organization. Unfortunately, I doubt they would make good hostages, as the Orcs seem to care little about losing some of their own.

* Strick told Radliff during the fight that, "The town is lost." Does this mean he's going to abandon Golden, or does it mean that he's merely giving up on the current set of buildings? If the people need a safe base of operations, the Gordeshi complex might work -- unless the attackers excavate to get at it, it should be easily defensible.

* These orcs are not something Strick has ever seen before -- he mentioned this. They are well-organized, have tactics, and have mounted units. Thus, it is unlikely that Strick or any of his crew would know much about them. However, orcs you could question might.

* The idea of taking women for religious rites sounds reasonable. We should still account for a couple of extra bits of info here, though. (1) They took Alexander because he was a Good-Hair (or is it Heir?). (2) They took Cosimo because he looked Gordeshi. The bit about Alexander might not need any extra explanation -- these Orcs are evil, and he is obviously an orcish paladin -- so take him for a prize. However, the bit about Cosimo should bug the people who are left, especially given that in Gordeshi society it was the women (note how they took all the women..) who occupied positions of power, were shapers, etc. It doesn't seem probable that they would have figured out that the Gordeshi Shapers were special among the other women in the short time between the beginning of the attack, and the all-out assault on the town. One possible explanation is that the orcs came here for them, but just decided to take all the women for purposes of thoroughness, and because they did not necessarily know how to tell the shaper women apart from the the non-shaper women. That would explain why they wanted Cosimo -- they were interested in the Gordeshi.

* Where did the Orcs come from, and why haven't they attacked before? Golden has been here for quite a while, and it seems that if the Orcs were going to attack it, they would have done so long ago. According to Strick, they are well-organized -- meaning that their military structure is probably a standing thing, rather than a something that would take a while to organize for an attack. Thus, whatever their reason for attacking Golden -- it is recent. Several possible explanations here: (1) they really have just learned about Golden through scouting, etc. This one seems unlikely. If they are as well-organized as they seem, then it would be foolish to think that they don't have good scouting/patrol organizations. (2) Their base of ops is far enough away that even though they learned about Golden shortly after it was started, it has taken them this long to get the information back to their base of ops, and then to mount the operation. If this is the case, then it should be possible to use this to our advantage: they've got a long road back to their base of ops, and they're going to be laden with loot (of a sort). (3) Something has happened at Golden recently to alert them to its existence and/or make the attack a worthwhile thing.

Subius Eversio · Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Posts: 34

Our response to this attack must be based upon the intentions of the orcs, thus interrogating any prisoners of war is imperative. If there is not an immediate danger to the lives, health, or general well being of the captives, we can afford to take time to regroup, coordinate, and plan a counter attack; a hasty response on our part is not very likely to be successful, and could exascerbate the situation.

I don't think we can afford to make any assumptions about the orcs or what their plans are. We have no evidence that suggests that the captives will be used as part of some ritual, or even sacrificed; for all we know, they took our women 'cause they want to have lots of little baby (half-) orcs running around.

Alexander Chronicle · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 30 Location: Marwon

Cosimo,

Nice points that you bring up. Something recently happened at Golden to make it noteworthy - the return of the gordeshi.
Perhaps the orcs have omens that the great DARKNESS shall return when Gordeshi's children awaken once more.
FYI- GoodHair of Good Heir, I'm not sure which one it is supposed to be. I'm not even sure what it means to the orcs.
I think it will be interesting to find out.

Subius,

Thanks for having a cool head in this situation. Now it is important to maintain your cool.

Odin 241,

Alexander Chronicle · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 30 Location: Marwon

You know having all this extra time on my hands I've been thinking about good old Morin and how he started this post.
It occurs to me that he is not really mad or pissed to get his pary members back, he just wants his girlfriend back.

As he stated:

Odin 241 · Joined: 29 Sep 2005 Posts: 44

What a very Paladin thing to say.
_________________
I am invincible.

Morin · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 11

It seems that questioning Morin's motive is all the vogue these days. You mistake his intensity in exploration of Gordeshi mines, when he felt the pressure of finding Barnaby and stopping sensless slaughter of villagers, with lack of concern for party's well-being.
Don't worry, Alexander, I care about you also. Despite what you might think, Morin has a great deal of respect for you. Alexander's selfless and noble behavior has not escaped even Morin's notice. He will strive to rescue everyone, and is concerned about orcs' intentions towards you.

After all,
In the eyes of the orcs Alexander might fall into the last category on Morin's list! ... such pretty blond hair...Morin is very worried about you...
Anyway, if we have a conversation in the future it will likely be in part due to Morin's efforts to rescue you...

In the meantime, sweet dreams, Good Heir.

Alexander Chronicle · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 30 Location: Marwon

Alexander Chronicle · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 30 Location: Marwon

Morin (and the other members of the rescue team),

Thanks for the save. Morin you have certainly lived up to the promise you showed when first we met. Your final comments that you are sick of plans being shot down instead of agreed upon and done are well taken. I hope that in the plans can be discussed like ideas are brainstormed.
Rules for Brainstorming ideas:
This means no idea is a bad idea.
We listen to the whole idea first.
Let the presenter point out possible flaws in the idea and then help them to come up with solutions to help the idea.

If we can start following these this way of brainstorming ideas it will help us 2 ways
1) People we tend to speak up more (less fear of immediately being shot down)
2) More crazy plans that might actually work will come out. Whle the inital plan might not work out, that might make someone else think of something that might modify that idea into a great / crazy idea that might work.

Let's give this some thought please.
_________________
I will save my family (the Savior Party), even if I have to go through the GODS to do it!