On the Trail to Southport

[Kai Sylgeiros]

Taking a piece of cloth, "Ludo can you make sure that they dont see your instrument? Preventing them from having time to plug their ears. I only have this heavy metal shield but ive got a minor healing if anyone takes an arrow"

[Ludo Fritzwick]

Ludo smiles at Kull, "I wouldn't say wizard at all. It's... Well it's complicated, don't know if I fully get it myself, but, when I play my music, I can sort of channel magic through it? Don't get me wrong, I can perform a few tricks and spells without music, but for things like this, it's just so much easier when I'm playing. All my concentration goes through that. As for if I'm sure it works... Well, we'll see, I haven't had to put people to sleep with my music since I nearly got dragged into a drunken bar fight last year. It's been a while, but hey, we'll give it a go."

Ludo turns his attention towards Kai, "I'm only little, keep me behind a shield and they shouldn't see me anyway, but, if you saw someone coming towards you with a fiddle, would you assume they're crazy or going to do some magic?"

He ponders that thought for a moment, "I'll try to hide it. Best be safe. Plus, don't want anyone to damage this. Then I'd have to really kill them." Ludo jokes.

[NeomerArcana]

Sorry for the delay, there's been fires here in Australia.

While everyone is talking about tactics, Arlette, very stealthily manages to sneak right up to the wall. There, she finds a section of the wall that's weakened and has a few bricks missing. Peering through a gap, Arlette see's the layout. The western and northern walls once had a stair case lining them, but it looks unsecure now. Instead, these bandits have laid ladders up the upper floors, which are only half there and falling.

With the semi-crumbled wall at the front, the bandits have great cover there. The eastern wall is in better condition but still crumbled. The corner where the Southern and Eastern walls meets is missing, there was probably once a door here, and that would be the most direct entry.

The upper floor has most of it's walls intact, with only a few gaps here and there. From Arlette's view, she can see there's a few guys upstairs with bow and arrow ready. The guys at the bottom are all armed with melee weapons. Breaching into the bottom room would put the team into direct threat of the bows above, especially if those upstairs pull up the ladders.

In total, there's 3 guys upstairs who appear to be armed with melee weapons, and 10 men downstairs, all but two are armed with various melee weapons, the other two with crossbows.

Arlette successfully makes it back down the hill without being seen.

What's the plan guys?

[Arlette Craven]

Arlette informs the others of what she has seen.

"I think we should split up and approach from two sides, we don't want to a shower of arrows and may have a better chance if we split their focus." She turns to Grigori, "Take Kai and Ludo with your shields and approach the south east corner, the entrance is fairly clear but you are in direct line of arrow fire, your shields should be protection. We need a signal so Kull and I can begin our assault from the other side, perhaps you could provide that Ludo? I'm sure you'd be safe under the shields of these two." Arlette waits briefly for any problems with the plan thus far.

She turns to Kull, "you and I can approach from the western wall. It is crumbling, I think you could smash right through it and that would definitely draw some of the attention off Grigori, Kai and Ludo. What say you, Kull smash?"

[Grigori Steelbrow]

"I like this plan, we could use a few more troops but what we have should work. I'll get my ears plugged and leave this for Kull if he needs it for the wall." Grigori then sets his ram leaning against their current cover and takes a strip of cloth and works it into each of his ears.
"Ready when you are, Kai."

[Kai Sylgeiros]

Putting the cloth in each ear and making sure that his shield is secure kai turns to Grigori and responds, "ready to go, if you take the lead with your tower shield i can follow behind with my shield raised to block arrows from above"

[Kull]

Kull stops taking of his armor quickly putting it back on. He grabs the ram with a nod to Grigory. He also get his cloth strips ready so he wont fall asleep in the middle of a fight.
He turns to Arlette.
"I am ready when you are. I hope i can manage climbing that wall with that armor."

[Grigori Steelbrow]

"Right." Grigori then turns to Ludo with an expression of seriousness and concern, "When we step out there, stay on my back. I don't mean to climb on me though, just be as close as you can to avoid being shot."
Grigori then braces his shield with both hands and steps just out of cover, ready to advance. "We'll go on your word, Kai."

[Kai Sylgeiros]

"if anyone has a large shield come with Grigori, ludo, and I. Otherwise follow behind arlette and kull after they get the wall down." Kai says to the merchants mercenaries before turning to the party. "Let's start"

[NeomerArcana]

The Captain of nods but looks a little frightened. None of his men can look you in the eye. It's not clear if they will assist, your instincts tell you not to rely on them.

With the plan set, the party makes it's move. Kai, Grigory and Ludo make their way up the worn path to the tower. As soon as you step up onto the road and up the hill, your shields ring out with the occasional bolt or arrow being deflected. So far so good, the shields provide enough cover for you to make it to just near the entrance.

Meanwhile, Arlette and Kull have begun their approach from the western side, using the others as a bit of a diversion so that they can spend less time being stealthy, and more time getting up the hill. Everything is timed well, with Arlette and Kull getting to the wall just as Grigori, Kai, and Ludo pause about 20 feet from the entrance.

Arlette and Kull, the wall is in pretty bad shape. There's one or two bricks missing that you can see inside from. The bandits are all looking toward the entrance, weapons ready. The ranged attackers that were upstairs are looking away from their ladder, popping up and loosing arrows at your friends down below.

Girgori, Kai, and Ludo you are being hit with enough arrows to begin to concern you. You will all need to act quickly.

Okay, I'll pause things here for a second. Before Ludo begins playing a sleepy song (assuming he still wants to), is there anything anyone wants to do?