[IC] Goblins at the Gate

[Throndir]

[info]Note! For some background, please read the bullet points in the first post in this thread: http://forums.fantasyworldcreations.com/index.php?topic=1686.0[/info]The portal in the middle of the room blinked into existence once again. It did so every time someone drew near it or if it was being opened from the other side. However, no one was close to the portal, in fact many of them still worked on cleaning up the guild hall and tending to their wounds. You gripped your weapons as you stared intently at the portal. Likely, someone was about to come through.

That portal in the center of their guild hall's tavern area sprung into being hours ago in the middle of the night when the guild of Teras'nor had attacked. The guild had successfully fought them off, though, at a price. The artifact that the guild carried, the Sword of Galas'nor, had been stolen, not to mention that there were some guild members that were still unaccounted for.

From the sparks of purple energy that escaped from the whirling pool that made up the portal, two figures appeared. It was Tane and Aria. Both had been sent, along with Wolfrin, Vladimir, Maeve, and a dark elf you could not recognize, but assumed was a member of the guild, into the portal earlier that morning to investigate where it had lead. You relaxed your hold on your weapon. You noticed that both Tane and Aria were tense.

It was Tane who spoke first.

"The portal leads to Powderkeg!" The paladin declared. Behind him Aria continued.

"They are being attacked... goblins...lots of them. They need help." She said peeking out from behind the armored man.

"Vladimir and the others stayed behind to gather the people evacuating and lead the evacuation on their end. They've chosen to make a stand back there." Tane pointed at the portal behind him.

"But with this here, a direct entrance to our guild, it's in our best interest to make sure the other side is secured."

"200 citizens are making their way here..." Aria said as she began to gently push the armored man forward as if to make a point. "Make... some space."

Tane glanced back at her, stammered an apology, and stepped to the side. Shortly after that, the first of the citizens began appearing.

"They should be coming in within the next hour... 200 citizens. I'm not sure if we have enough accommodations for that number, especially with all the damage from the attack. From what the Watchmen captains in Powderkeg told us, the goblins themselves will be at the gates also in an hour."

Aria beside him poked at the man as if trying to tell him something. Tane frowned at first, but then lighted up as something crossed his mind.

"Right. One last thing, there's mounds upon mounds of coin in the vault... I can't even begin to estimate how much."

[info]Testing out the mass battle rules. Expected format is small scale roleplaying, potentially free-form like in the beginning as players figure out how to bolster their odds against the goblin army, or what they'll be doing. It will eventually roll into mass battle rules coinciding in parallel with small scale actions.

After an hour of in-game time has passed, the battle will start at Powderkeg. Anyone can 'roll' for the 100 Watchmen as an army unit, unless someone decides to be the commander of it, in that case that person will be in charge of rolling for them. For any other 'armies' that are added, a commander/player will be in charge of rolls for that.

Each round of battle can potentially take an hour of in-game time, so it's totally fine to do more small-scale actions to change the odds in favor of the town. Separate threads will be spawned if the need arises.

Feel free to ask questions from Tane or Aria or proceed with specific actions.

DM: Throndir, input from Lance
Players: Open to all, no limit really... there's not a lot of active people right now anyways. Use as many characters that you personally are willing to be able to upkeep posting.
Summary: Small scale separate spawned threads with Mass Battle
Goal: Don't let Powderkeg fall!
Rewards on Completion:
200 exp just for joining per character
+1000 gold per character (more or less due to contribution)
+1000 exp per character (more or less due to contribution)
+1000 gold per character (more or less due to ranking adjustment, eg if you are the richest player in the guild, don't expect as big a payout on this category)
+1000 exp per character (more or less due to ranking adjustment)
Mass battle rules (no need to read, as I'll try to make this newbie friendly as much as possible, and will tell you what you need to roll, but here it is in case you want to read it): Mass Battle rules
[/info]

[Lance]

It was then that the tavern doors flung open once more, revealing a spry old man clothed in what was unmistakably a butler's attire. "Pardon the intrusion." The man's voice was crisp and held an air of refinement despite his aged appearance, as he performed his customary curt bow. "I am Otto, a humble servant - no more and definitely no less."

"I bring word from Lord Jin; that he shall be arriving within the hour, along with some food and provisions..." the man coughed. "Well, for a 'fair price' as he so grandly put it. However, from what I've personally gathered, I do believe our dear Jin has already begun to rally together some ragtag group of misfits in preparation for such an event as this. A merchant's intuition is not to be underestimated, it seems. Now heavens knows if they'll actually be of some use in the current dilemma, but I shall not linger to find out," the man continued, as he turned to make his exit.

"One other thing, however..." The old butler stopped in mid-stride. "It appears the Ternaden magi along with the one known as 'Lyolf' are currently preoccupied with some other equally pressing task. Something of 'grave import' they would have me believe before sending me away - and rather rudely at that too!" Otta suddenly exclaimed, his once placid eyes now furious, as he remembered the rather humiliating exchange. "Now, they might be able to spare some aid, but they all too likely might not."

"All I can say is 'best of luck,' Galas'nor." Otta finished, his voice already fading into the darkness of the night. "You'll surely be needing it."

[info]I'll be joining in with this for now.

Character: Jin
Additional Force: League of Extraordinary Merchants (Pirate Division)[/info]

[Mysticsage]

The darkness broke as if the moon wished to cast away any despair as the guild hall was surrounded with brilliant ghostly blue and silver light. Walking out of that light was Kryas, Serena, and Grey, the female of the group being undoubtedly the source of the light outside that was now spilling into the halls.

"We heard that you may need some help with a little goblin problem. We might have a few ideas for an easy fix." said kryas with his usual grin. "I've already contacted a number of groups including the Enclave to manage the relief effort and organize a counter-assault. Leave getting as many able arm as possible into the fight to me and I promise every sword hand will be moving like lighting."

Grey patted him on the shoulder as a woman in a large dress drifted behind him, " My team will focus on the defense and arming any group that needs it. Give me a few minutes and my team can slow down the onslaught to a crawl and hopefully give everyone enough time to prepare."

Serena was the last to speak up, "As for me leave the healing and support to the teams I've got backing me. With the physical defenses in place, I can also make our own stamina last longer and bring divine judgment down on those who seek to destroy others dreams. The three of  us won't make it easy for the hoards."

[info]
Characters: Grey, Kryas, Serena

Additional Forces: Istus' Enclave, The Temple District Clerics, Number of free Craftsman and Smiths
[/info]

[Throndir]

[info]Looks like players are deciding to bring groups in. I'll be spawning off separate small scale threads with each of these. In the meantime, please PM me, or post here, info on the following. Some groups I already know of from previous RPs, but a refresher in your own words is always good.

1) Name and description of the organization:
2) Name and description of primary contact of the organization:
3) Explanation on how character has this contact: If your PC met them in a previous RP, or if its part of your backstory, or any other idea you have.
4) Explanation on how your PC is able to gather them in a timely fashion: Could be longer or shorter, I'll use my judgement as primary DM to decide at how many hours this new army will take to be able to help in the mass battle. (Notification, preparation, assembly, transport, etc)

I need to note that you do NOT have to bring in a new group, I have some stuff planned for small scale things, and likely your character will be pulled into one of those.[/info]

[Katrias Lyseer]

The arcanist eyed Grey carefully. Her fellow guild member spoke of a 'team', but she narrowed her eyes to exactly what that could mean. She knew he was part of the organization of merchants that made the city of Ternadan their primary base of operations, but she also knew making use of those contacts could potentially be expensive.

First she turned towards Tane.

"By chance do you have an estimate of how much so-called coin and treasure there is in the vault?" Then she turned her head towards Grey.

"And you. We need to talk before you proceed on what I think you might be doing." She said flatly.

[Throndir]

Tane grinned seeing how fast his fellow guild mates acted. There was an old butler who had opened the door of their guild. Not surprising as the magic of the guild had all been but torn asunder with the two large double doors themselves nothing more than loosely hanging pieces of wood. The old butler spoke of another guild member, one called Jin. Tane would have wanted to ask how Jin even knew that a horde of goblins were marching towards Powderkeg, but before he could ask, the butler was gone.

He then turned towards Kryas who spoke.

"The enclave? Aren't they primarily information brokers and brothel owners?" Tane asked incredulously. "They are soldiers? How would they help?"

Next he turned towards Grey.

"The craftsmen and the smiths... I would suspect you need coin for that endeavor. We have yet to count how much of that there is in the vault that we found."

He glanced towards Serena as well, but only wondered what kind of support and healing teams she had planned to try bringing in to help them.

"Mountains of them, Katrias." Tane responded. "Though, not just gold coins. There were silver, gems, and various jewelry and trinkets. Apart from the magical emanations from the guild vault itself however, we didn't really detect other magic, though we were pressed on time and couldn't search each of the rooms too deeply."

[info]Jin to thread: http://forums.fantasyworldcreations.com/index.php?topic=1749.0

Everyone else to have exact actions, once you leave for meeting with the group(s) that you had mentioned, only then will I spawn threads required for them. Started Jin's as he seemed already to be meeting with his group.[/info]

[Mysticsage]

Grey had been weaving his way through the busy main streets of the capital like a man possessed towards the Guild Hall, and in a way he was. Serena had contacted both him and Kryas very late last night after having a particularly bad nightmare. Her faith had given her visions through dreams before but this one, in particular, seemed to shake her. Which should have been sign enough that there was serious trouble on the horizon. Images of a sea of rage and hunger washing over the countryside leaving a plague of red in its wake would have been enough to leave him screaming. As it was Serena had a far stronger fortitude for such thing from her years being so close to the spirit worlds. She took such things with a grain of salt but this one simply would not leave her mind something was pushing her to act and she had asked the boys to do the same. Whatever was going to happen it was going to be happening very soon and if they did nothing it would be devastating.

So when Katrias squinted and questioned him he simply shrugged and nodded heavy bags under his eyes, "As the old saying goes: you have to spend money to make money. I've been spending all morning getting the right investors in place so long as we can get enough coin to get them to listen." It wasn't a lie either he did not a single one of those masked bastards to think they had better things to do with their time then come to the meeting. So he had been forced to go on a goose chase to deliver notes that the rite of Exaction was going to be called that early that morning. "I imagine the guild vault has enough in items if not raw coins for us to demand they come to the table and listen. "

"But I'll be going ahead regardless a horde is no joke, and they'll need me setting up defenses now. Ophelia here will be my representative." He pointed to the Girl who seemed to float behind him.

There was a number of rumors mostly started by Kryas that Grey was some genius Dollmaker and that the pair had been working together at a previous time. Most people who took any stock in these rumors tended to stay away from his moving wagon shop. Though the construction of this Ophelia was something else entirely and most people would have struggled to tell the difference between her and a golem. But to a trained eye like Katrias seeing his work for the first time she could tell that there was more than just magic making this girl move with intent as they locked eyes showing and it may very well send a shiver down katrias Spine

"Ophelia can handle those blowhards and is the quickest coin counter that you have ever seen."

Ophelia almost seemed to float foward despite the wings on her back seeming to just be for asthetics, "It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Katrias." Despite her face her voice while somewhat monitone carried with it a depth of presence one could struggle expecting in an artifcal being.

[Katrias Lyseer]

Katrias stared at the doll curiously. She had heard the rumors of course, but seeing the doll itself was something else entirely. She had something similar back in her shop which was used more of an assistant for simple needs, but nothing as complex or as intricate as Grey's creation. For a moment Katrias wondered if the craftsman would have been willing to make more such assistants.

Katrias pushed the thoughts away though, dolls are dolls after all, and Katrias looked dubiously at the familiar-like golem.

"I suspect Grey wants you to make contact with the so-called 'Lords of Coin'. The Rite of Exaction is a hefty price. 1 million gold coins is no laughing manner. I once tried getting Arelia to show me where the guild keeps their riches, but she simply shut me out. We don't even know how much is in that vault those two just came out of." Katrias said glancing at both Tane and Aria.

[Throndir]

"Head immediately to your west when you get through! There's a steep natural ladder that heads upwards!" Tane called out when Grey began stepping into the portal.

[info]Grey to thread: http://forums.fantasyworldcreations.com/index.php?topic=1751.0[/info]

[Mysticsage]

"Yes, Master Grey has gone over various arguments to win them to our side with you seconding the motion we should not have to much trouble winning them over." Said Ophelia her face almost motionless as she did so turning to the vault as for the money. Master has written a letter promising certain insurances to the guilds investments even if the money in the town is lacking what we need to pay back the million. As I understand it, however, the guild's hands are tied to helping where they can or risk losing face.

After all the town in question became under threat while a team of guild members were actively on a mission. How would it look if such a large guild were to just abandon the countryside to such a huge threat. At best the guild will just have to pay more in resources and possibly men once the goblin hordes came to something even more noteworthy. They can buy a lot more good press by spending now versus being forced to pay later for nothing."

[Mysticsage]

[info]
OOC Notes


Serena using connections to talk with emissaries and being able to act before the portal opens


Kryas goes to talk to the enclave
[/info]

[Katrias Lyseer]

"You've been around Grey too long. Possibly Kryas." Katrias remarked casually at the speaking doll. She considered the doll's words before speaking.

"On the flip side, an army of goblins is something the Korinthian army should handle, we're just unfortunate enough to have that tied directly to our guild hall.", Katrias pointed at the glowing purple portal. "I'm hoping whoever created that 'vault' on the other side had enough sense to be able to prevent a horde of goblins from using it and making themselves right at home in our guild hall."

She paused for a moment thinking on what the doll has said.

"We are, in effect, borrowing money from the guild then." Katrias stated flatly. It was the truth of the matter, not one single guild member had enough funds to cover the cost of the Rite of Exaction. Suddenly she raised her voice and almost yelled out for the rest of the guild to hear.

"Does anyone know who is in charge of the guild's finances after our banker?" Katrias called out.

[Throndir]

There was no response, most of the rank and file guild members simply shrugged. A few responded though.

"We all get random gifts appear on our beds on our birthdays, and we have the initiation process was rather... magical as well. Cant say I've ever met the guild leader himself, or herself, I don't have a clue! Other than Arelia who seemed to take that role." A female elf said.

"Buahahaha! I thought that she-devil was the guild leader at first." Cried out another deeper and boisterous voice.

"I never questioned it-nya" A young boy's voice purred.

"We've always seemed so organized... At least the structure of the guild. Medics had their own place. We have wizards who can see into arcane mysteries... The guild emblem we all have occasionally glows at times, during initiation, or randomly even. Most of our guild members act with a lot of autonomy, but I always assumed there was someone else other than Arelia." Said an armored lady.

[info]Prepping Kryas' thread. Should have it out tonight. Go ahead and start Serena's thread though. I'll jump in as DM once you talk with the head cleric, or meet with NPCs.[/info]

[Oath]

Ryine was at a table, carrying on with his usual evening. Eating, drinking, and ribbing fellow guild members. As everyone was scattered about, the wheels in his brain turned as fast as they could, perhaps the pace of an average middle school child. The most obvious, and Ryine approved solution would be to grab his sword and charge through the portal. In fact, that is what he would choose ninety-nine out of one hundred times.

However, this time was different. The lives of many innocents were on the line. A plan more concrete than charge through the door and hit things until they stop hitting you wouldn't cut it. Well, maybe it would but after trying to figure out the odds of his original plan working for a few moments, Ryine decided that if the numbers didn't add up on his fingers it wasn't worth trying.

The warrior did have a back up plan though. He loved to hit things. He loved to hit things so much in fact, that he had often helped out random groups of mercenaries, not for money, but for fun. While the rest of the guild put their minds to work figuring out what they needed in terms of strategy and money, Ryine would do his best to acquire something that was perhaps just as important: Manpower.

In a flurry, lept out of his seat, knocking his food and drink to the ground. He gave the spilled brew and scattered food a wistful glance and ran towards the door.

He bellowed. "I'LL BRING THE TROOPS! I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!" As he dashed by the group conversing, he gave a wave. The frigid night air greeted him as he crashed through the door. Looking around he saw a lad tending to a horse. Without wasting a moment, he pushed the boy aside.

"Sorry buddy! I need this! I'll bring him back soon!" The stable-hand stood flabbergasted as Ryine rode off into the night.

A single thought crossed his mind. If I get these guys... who is going to lead them into battle? Certainly not me!

[info]Ryine is going to be going around to various mercenary guilds in the city to gather troops for the mass battle. I don't have any particular groups in mind, but more bodies are always good![/info]

[Throndir]

[info]Kryas to this thread: http://forums.fantasyworldcreations.com/index.php?topic=1755.new#new

Working on Ryine's next. Also current ingame time is around 10 AM. Gives enough time for the guild to clean up a bit and heal wounds.[/info]