Vapourware [Play-by-post] Lamentations in Averoigne

[SoupNazi]

"Sancho is somewhere out there! You know, the mule that's been carrying all of your shit, without question, the mule that's lost an eye fighting off rabid, giant vultures when most of us were out of our minds with fear, and the trusty companion you got me to bring and lead into the lion's maw for your fancy trinkets and a revenge story."

Finn draws his sword from its scabbard and looks at the bloody tracks. He twirls the bastard sword in his wrist; determined.

"We owe the animal the loyalty of at least finding out about its demise, if we were unable to prevent it."

 

[AdamReith]

Grima says, "God luck on thy quest, we shall rendezvous in Les Hiboux. Adieu!"

 

[L'ennui]

Guillemin sighs. "Bordel... Then let me at least scout ahead discreetly before you run off into the mist, you blithering fool." Guillemin makes a face as he splashes himself with disgusting swamp water to mask his odour, then stoops to a low crouch and starts a cautious advance along the blood trail, prowling from bush to tree stump to hillock in an effort to conceal himself as much as possible.

Spoiler

If possible and/or needed, this might be a Stealth roll I guess.

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

There's also missing human bean, named Rolf. Lol

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Spoiler

There's also missing human bean, named Rolf. Lol

Spoiler

We're looking for both. Can bushcraft read me the trails here?

 

[nikolokolus]

Guillemin masks his scent as best as he can and puts a finger to the wind to test the rank, stagnant air, Well, that's not an issue he thinks to himself. The trail is obvious and takes him very little time to trace the sign that meanders off in a west by northwesterly direction. Requin comes up alongside the skulking man and reads the ground. 4-5 sets of normal wolf tracks and one other set that are at least twice as wide and deep set. He estimates that whatever made these prints weighs at least 800-1,000 pounds (~365-450 kilos). Guillemin takes the chance and follows the trail alone, knowing that he has the best chance of being unheard or unseen. After 20 minutes of practically crawling on his belly and inching along the mossy ground, he comes up to the foot of an incline and can just make out the shape of an open barrow. He guesses he's about 100 paces from where he started. He can hear faint sounds of chomping, ripping and tearing coming from the tomb mouth -- apparently an now converted to wolves' den. Just as carefully as he came, he back tracks along and rejoins the group at the mouth of the main barrow.

 

[Grimgravy]

"What did you learn? Any news of Rolf or Sancho?" Ganelon asks very much concerned.

 

[L'ennui]

"Heard horrific chomping and tearing much like when the daemons had their way with Vandal and Madeline, God rest their souls. Seems like a pack of wolves have made their den in one of these old barrows. I doubt there's anything or anyone to save there, and from the sound of it I'd rather not be their next meal..."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Spoiler

How many flasks of lamp oil have we?

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

So what's the plan?

 

[AdamReith]

Spoiler

Suggest we prepare some poisoned meat in Hibbles and drop it off for them early tomorrow when they are out hunting.

Actually, does the barrow have a door we could close and lock?

 

[AdamReith]

Grima says "these are creatures I would not face fairly in a pitched battle, let us treat some sides of hog with a tincture of wolvesbane and return on the morrow."

 

[L'ennui]

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with the elf."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"We may not find them at a disadvantage again."

 

[Grimgravy]

"Are they at disadvantage now?"

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Are they at disadvantage now?"

"They are holed up in a tomb, and from what we hear they are busy feasting. We can set upon them now and surprise them. If we find them in the open, they may run away again and we must needs face them again. Let us end it now while we can, or we must dread leaving our crew outside again for yet awhile."

 

[Grimgravy]

"Makes sense. I have some wolfsbane that I might be able to sling into the den."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Makes sense. I have some wolfsbane that I might be able to sling into the den."

Spoiler

Wolfs bane is just generic poison btw. Not really a bane of wolves.

 

[SoupNazi]

Finn thinks on the information gathered and nods.

"I do agree with Requin. Not just to avenge Rolf and Sancho, but purely because we won't be able to leave anyone outside, and even us moving through the land will be risky until we remove this threat."

He points out at the barrow the wolves are feasting in.

"If they have full bellies, and we can climb up on the mound to have height, we might be able to keep them at bay. And if we focus on the alpha and take it down, the rest of the pack is likely to scatter and not be such a threat. Wolves are normally cowardly animals; they would not attack a man and its mule unless very, very desperate, backed into a corner. It must be the giant one that is giving them this sort of confidence..."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"We will need fire. A lot of fire."

 

[nikolokolus]

Marcus listens intently and nods, "Such a threat as this is likely to linger and become even more bold now that they have a taste for the flesh of men. The size of the alpha is clearly unnatural, and methinks that the full flower of the plans laid by the Dark Brothers we faced all those centuries past, is coming into bloom -- spreading a miasma of corruption that will creep out and infect the world. Of course you have my blade and I will do what I can to hold the breach while you lay whatever trap you have in mind for the beasts. I saw copse of stunted oaks near the barrow where they are currently laired, perhaps we can find snags, and broken limbs in the layer of duff around them to build a suitably hot bonfire. Second to that, there are timbers we could haul up from the splintered doors you have battered down, if we setup your tripod contraption."

 

[L'ennui]

Guillemin raises his hands in exasperation(tm). "Fine! Fine, let's go confront the man-eating giant wolves. Don't say you weren't warned!" He then sets about picking up whatever wood can be found.

 

[Grimgravy]

"Alright, let end this threat." Ganelon looks into resetting the tripod.

 

[nikolokolus]

Even though the hour is growing late, the party sets about fixing the tripod and spends twenty to thirty minutes hauling up broken timbers from below and then pulling them out into the open air above. Then carefully and as quietly as you can you slowly drag your collection of wood the hundred or so paces to the barrow where the wolves are laired up and gently lay them down a few dozen paces beyond the entrance. You then move off to the north where there is a copse of trees and gather up as many dry fallen branches and pull down handfuls of hanging Spanish Moss from some of the oaks and take it back to your staging area. Guillemin sneaks up as closely to the mouth of the barrow as he dares and can hear heavy breathing (faintly) wafting up from down below -- it appears that the wolf pack are sleeping off their meal.

Marcus looks on your pile and then looks at the entrance 30 paces away. "It will be very tricky to pile all of that wood, douse it with oil and set it aflame without rousing the pack . . . But I will follow your lead and do the best I can to hold the breach if it comes to it."

 

[SoupNazi]

Finn removes his common cloak from his shoulders and lays it out on the ground. "I've an idea," he informs and then ties each corner of the cloak to length-appropriate sticks, the straightest he can find, building a makeshift stretcher-like contraption, that can be held and carried by a person on each side, holding it up by the sticks that act as handles. He then proceeds to instruct everyone to load the wood and shrubbery they'd gathered atop of it.

"Douse it in our oil. Requin, hold the other end, you and I will carry it to the entrance and lay it down there."

He then looks around the rest of the group. "Someone give Requin a lit torch. I reckon he's strong enough to hold the delivery in one hand and light it with the other around five paces away from the entrance. All of you, go up a few paces ahead of us and take positions up or around the mound. We'll carry the flame in, and hold the entrance. If anything passes through it, it should be on fire, and we'll keep it busy."

Finn then turns to his mentor. "Marcus, you just make your way up along with the rest of the forward group and be ready to jump down and help us with the alpha. I suspect it will be the only one to make its way through the flames, while the rest of the pack will be held back by it."

Spoiler

This is the idea (ignore distances). Blue is Finn & Requin, lime is the rest of the party + Marcus. They set up on and around the mound depending on their ranged/melee capabilities, while the Reckless Duo brings the firestarter close enough, then Requin sets it on fire a few steps away from it, and we dump it at the entrance while already on fire. Then back off.