This thread begins at nightfall on the eve of the assault. It will end when any combat begins.

The Throne Mansion Map has been updated with all known interior and exterior features shown. You will have to zoom to read the interior.

There are only 8 guards likely to be on duty at any given time. Three patrol the inner perimeter; 4 the outer, plus one guard on the gate. All guards carry signal whistles. Guard routes are marked in pink.

There are low family crypts at the NE corner. If you go over the wall at that point, the crypt should hide the folks on the ground.

There are low rushes all around the East side of the nearest pond. By crawling, you should be able to avoid detection. The rushes also grow around the south edge of the pond. Care will need to be taken as the ground is soft and possibly squishy (noisy) at some points.

Once across the inner perimeter, the last stretch of walkway to the house has short rose bushes on either side. Again, an army crawl should keep you out of casual line of sight.

Danger spots with no cover are highlighted on the map in red dots. This route has the greatest amount of cover. The west side with the service building adjoins a compound patrolled by dogs (non-intelligent) Also, the layout of the mansion on that side is unknown. You should not be molested on the city perimeter if you are not displaying weapons and look like service people.

Even if the East door is locked, it is not as heavy as the front door and should be easy to hack through with an ax. It was not locked last night.

The best archery vantage point is the merchant house to the SE. It has a row of trees just inside the low wall and it is possible the property is vacant or at least un-patrolled. Handle never saw any activity.

Beka has cashed the notes and they are being watched by Kent, Jareek and Peaches. They are standing ready for flight at the first sign of any prusuit. If you need to escape by boat, they have agreed to wait at a different (agreed-upon) camp for one week.

Details please!

Sorry, "low wall" (6.5') just means it's not a fortification. It is slightly shorter than Throne's wall(~8'), but the land is slighly higher on the South side of the street, so the tops are pretty even. This wall does not have spikes like Thrones and appears a good less military-styled. It is easily climbed. The trees are thickly foliaged trees about 30' tall. If you decide to climb them, you can probably get about 20' up before running out of cover or support-thick branches.
Anybody in the compound would be a target from that vantage unless they have cover (The front wall, certainly) or concealment (much of the landscaping, if you are crawling).

It will be dark, save for about twenty hanging lanterns within the compound. Some are oil, most are lumina. They are hung so as to be available to anyone who grabs them.

The outer perimiter guards (outer guards) have axes and bows. The inner guards have only axes.

I think Ricco and Faliol will be best served to climb up there and let loose. We might even be able to take out a couple of guards before they get close.

I figure we'll be running after that. We should take some rope and have it ready for a quick swing down out of the trees and begin our escape.

Keith, would we have been able to plan some sort of escape route. You know, do a bit of lurking about the general area so we know where to flee if the Hill Folk come after us?

Caravan Folks: Are we supposed to go ahead and just start filling the tribe folks full of wood or wait to see if you're seen? I can see merits to both plans.

If we create a diversion, you'll have a better chance of getting in.

Further surprise will most likely be lost as Throne's Minions will know they're being attacked.

You'll get in, but will be going out blind. If we are still there on overwatch, we might be able to help you guys get out.

Let me know what you all think.

Yes, you have figured out some pre-arranged ecape routes. Basically, they'll just keep you from running blind. Also, given your smaller stature, you can probably arrange for at least one bottleneck, a narrow place that will slow your pursuers more than you.

Jareek suggests some pre-arranged signals as well. For fire, hold, help, run.

Addendum to NPC actions. They will await at the bakery, which should be your initial rendezvous. FYI, Beka had to purchase a strongbox to carry all the gold. Kent has placed it on the wagon and wrapped it with oilcloth to resemble a silk bundle. It will fool a casual glance.

Nice ideas, Jason. I think a couple of tripwires (ropes between two trees/bushes) would help us get away while making them mad enough to continue after us. We need to lock that gate for lazy barbarians that don't want to hop over the wall...

We need to determine what our (Ricco and Faliol) purpose is in this fight. I think that it will be next to impossible for Beka and company to infiltrate Throne's compound with nothing but stealth. From what I have read, the barbarians are VERY competent. Trusting competent people to make an error that you can exploit is risky.

This situation is a good example of exploiting someone that is too eager for combat. Hence, I believe a diversion would make a hole in the defenses that does not exist currently. Kinda like a fake handoff in football can get overeager defenders to tackle the wrong guy, having Ricco and Faliol pepper the defenders with arrow fire should get the overly eager defenders to charge us and take ALL the eyes towards the front of the compound for a brief moment.

Then Beka's Berserkers go over the wall. With all the pounding feet and shouting, a broken twig isn't going to get noticed nearly as easily as sneaking over without the diversion...

Suggestion - we should determine the exit point for Beka's Berserkers. Ricco and Faliol can loop back to cover their exit if they manage to lose pursuit.

OOC: Say, isn't Nuyok supposed to be our Battle Leader? That guy's supposed to be figuring out all of this stuff, ain't he?

Should we really take our planning OOC like this? I have some trouble with it, personally. It's hard to let stuff happen to your character because they're ignorant of things that the player might be...

I don't know.

The OOC planning, that is! I was just following your example!

OOC: I know... I was just starting to feel guilty or weird about it. Especially after Keith was talking about playing his doofus engineer to character...

I wasn't sure I could see Faliol and Riccoco thinking this far ahead. Well, Ricco might just cause he's a schemer and partial to convoluted plans. If that's the case we should work up some strange Scooby-Doo gang traps and the like that are certain not to work...

Then, I'd be happy!

OOC: No Brian, not that sort of deeper, you smutty old dawg!

Seriously, thinking more on it, I think we're missing an opportunity for some good RP. Are we rushing for a reason other than itching for a combat scene?

I'm using a mutual we BTW. I realize I was doing it and even started it!

Unless you have some sort of tricks and traps skill, your ability to create booby traps will be very limited. Perhaps 1 tripwire.

OOC: We'll have to be quick on our feet and improvise!

Have we all taken care of our possibilities? Let's do this thing!

Keith, the details you've supplied are very helpful.
Thanks!

As far as wall climbing goes and movement into the house, Cas will take the rear. She is by no means an elite combatant but her uncanny defense make her a good choice.

OOC: I'll go along with the group plan, but will attempt to sneak up on a guard that is momentarily alone in the patrol if posible and hope to eliminate him with a surprise attack form the shadows. If this is not posible or unneeded then I'll senak along intothe house with the others and follow their lead.

"Let's do this."

Do I know where the kitchen is? Is there a food delivery they had while I was watching? Perhaps through that servant door? Any chance of using my old burglary trick and sleep dosing their dinner or at least their fresh gorcery delivery in soemthing that woudn't be cooked most likely, beerr ration maybe?

If posible and I don't come back to check before plans are made please suggest it for me IC and use it and whatever I have left over to dose anyone to advantage. Maybe jsut one pivitol guard would be enough if there is one.

Throne seems far too cautious for that sort of plan to easily work. Also, your plan requires that the target not be expecting attack. Throne is on guard and has at least one adept to check things.

That being said, there is in fact a beer delivery during the day. If you want to attempt to sneak your sleep potion in, give me some appropriate rolls and I'll give you the results. Failure will not likely cause you personal harm, since you would be using your skills upon a delivery person. However, it would likely tip off Throne to the attempt.

If you try it and I post the results, you can introduce it in character later. I really want to advance the action, though.

Also, I believe the kitchen is marked on the map. It is the entrance used by the man you saw earlier.

"We know that 8 guards are typically on duty, at least externally. Do we know whether any additional guards are on duty within? Also, where do the off-duty guards stay?"

Nuyok tries to recall whether the room he ducked into could have been quarters for barbarian guards.

Nuyok hid in the room marekd Art Gallery. There were no bunking facilities here. Handle watched all day and could not tell where in the house the guards might bunk. He did count shift changes though and figures there cannot be more than a dozen guards.

"Given what we know, we are outnumbered, with as much as a dozen guards, plus Throne, Adept Pakkard, and Jonnit potentially present, and all are skilled combatants as well as on guard for an assault. Therefore, a distraction to enable entry, with entry at dusk giving cover of darkness, and further, Handle's suggested path of entry all seems ideal to avoid detection. The distraction of arrow fire with fleeing in the face of oncoming attackers seems as good as any, as well as effective in reducing potential threats once detected. We do not know where Vagrant is held, but we can go through the east corridor to the upward stairs and kitchen area, have a couple of people quickly verify Vagrant is not in the pits below, and then head upstairs where he likely would be in the alternative. We can set a prearranged meeting place nearby for all to meet afterward, and a backup based on land travel and sea travel, if necessary. I think this is a suitable and effective plan. Any comments?"

"I don't think splitting up for any reason at all is wise. It would cut our numbers even lower if an assault were to occur. Beyond that, your plan sounds good."

"There would be no splitting up with this plan. The stairs up are just beside the kitchen entrance. The stairs to the pits are in the kitchen. Therefore, everyone can enter the kitchen, keeping an eye out on the stairs and disabling any servants while a couple take a quick look down at the pits to verify whether Vagrant is there before the entire party proceeds upstairs to search further. We should probably have some lengths of rope and cloths to bind and gag any servants if necessary, or at least some clubs to brain them."

"Der are crates in da room wit da pits dey may be some o' Thrones good weapons in dem. It woul be fittin' to go after Throne wit 'is own weapons."

"Those weapons cost Rath his life. I will never use one and would prefer seeing them at the bottom of the ocean."

OOC: Aren't old weapons illegal to posses? It is possible that if we should kill Throne, if we leave the weapons there, it will discredit him and they will, hopefully, not pursue us.

Given her backgrounds and skills, Cas doesn't really know. Discussing it with some of the city dwellers reveals that some ancient artifacts and relics can be confiscated by the Archony as a kind of Monarchial Eminent Domain, but that's really on a case-by-case basis.
Throne might have enough clout to get away with owning something that would otherwise be taken away.

"One other thing. One of the guards disappeared before we met, so we met with just the one, Melkut. He said:

""I'm going to High Justice Rakeen. I... I'm going to tell him what I know and gamble the whole thing.
"I-- I can't guarantee anything. I don't even know if I can get an audience. He'll probably want to check out the story personally. He'll want to talk to you. But if he's...
"Listen. I can't guarantee your friend's safety if I do this. Hold off on any plans of reprisal until tonight. If you don't hear from me by then, I'm probably dead and you won't have any help from the law, if anything like that exists. But there's a chance that you won't have to risk your lives. For sake of the Lawgiver, don't tell me your plans. They could be taken from me."
He rises suddenly. "I have to go now. Time is short.""

That was yesterday afternoon, and by the time night had fallen, there was no sign of Melkut.

I don't know how that affects tonight, but just so you are aware of this. I think everyone should be extra alert in approaching the mansion in case others may be watching us, but otherwise, stay on the plan made."

OOC: That is so breaking the Code of PbEM.

OOC: Haha, I'm working on a SUPER slow connection, via a 1800 work dialin # to a remote computer connection, gotta cut corners! And hey, I didn't post everthing he said

Never mind.

OOC: Codes???? We don' need no stinkin' codes....OOC: Actually, we were prompted to relay this info from a hidden thread, I am glad he did, 'cause I dropped the ball myself.... Thx!

OOC: GM Propting: Good, cutting and pasting: Bad, Cutting and Pasting what the GM wrote: Borderline Evil...

I really thing the whole cut in paste in a PbEM can ruin a game. Now obviously this one time in this particular instance isn't going to throw the whole game into shambles, but I really think we should avoid things like this.

OOC: I think that this was a very, very rare occurence prompted by extreme circumstances. Savage Earth players have avoided this whenever possible. Nothing to see here. Move along...

OOC: I'm back now! Yep, if you saw how slow it was for pages to load, ugh... Anyway, I'm a repeat offender actually, I did cut and paste something Nuyok said once before (The tale of what happened at Throne's)

As people return they see four small bags on the table.
"Unfortunately, we did very well on this trip. I hate feeling like the price of good business was Rath's life but here is your payment. I hope you will all stay with me for the return. I still have 3 bolts of silk to sell, maybe they will be interested at the fort. I dought it but maybe. We also might be able to pick up return goods there since I was unable to secure any here."
There are also six piles of 3g5s.
"This was Rath's share. I divided it among all those who faught with him. Vagrants share is in the strong box. Thank you for sharing the danger and the thrills. Thank you for sharing Rath."

21g

21 gold seems like a lot.

It is a lot, I m a fabulous merchant and made really good deals.

There is also Rath's share divided. What do you do with that?

Rathwould want it that way. I'll be sure to pour a drink for him when I use it to party when I get back to Talon.

All figures were double-checked. There is a reason that people are willing to risk the wilds to trade, and that Adala fetched a larger price than Karkul, which is a safer trip.

It is a very generous division, however. It is approximately 4-5 time normal guild rate of 3-5 silver per day. (The stay at Fort Lizard would not have counted--at least the convalescense period)

31g5s + money you spent on provisions

21g

21g

It is more than I expected.

Riccoco's slighlty clawed paw twitches forward and his whiskers flit as he eyes the small bags of coins. with great effort he lowers his greedy hands. "You be keepin' this 'coon's share, Miss Beka. You be the closest kin Rath be havin' if Ol' Riccoco be knowin' anythin'. He be wantin' you to be havin' it."

Ricco reluctantly steps away from the table o' money.

Nuyok quietly accepts his small sack of coins, but does not take the other coins, instead taking a long solemn look at them, and then Beka, steps back from the table area.

OOC: I had not realized until Riccoco's post that there were six piles. I thought for some reason the money was split for those by Rath at his time of death. Don't ask me why... just stressed from work or something.

Cas looks at her pile for a moment and thinks. After much consideration she picks up the pile and places it inside her carved box from her pack. Anyone near enough to the box catches an assortment of items including a bracelet, a locket hair, and a couple of trinkets. "I will not decline your decision to give us a division of Rath's share. I, however, will not spend it unless in dire need or the right moment comes." Cas closes the box and slips it away.

Celeste picks up the pile of coins. She looks at them momentarily in her hand and then closes her hand into a tight fist. "This should pay the ferryman for Throne's journey to Hell." She does not put Rath's share with her payment from Beka, but puts it in small pocket on her belt.

Noticing some leaving theirs behind, he says a bit indignantly,

"I'm sure he would want me to have it..."

OOC: Hah, I've been waiting for Handle's response on this!

I'm confused (what's new). Check me here please:
Rath's payment was divided into 6 piles of 3g5s.
Faliol: ?
Ricco: left it
Handle: took it
Nuyok: left it
Cas: took it
Celeste: took it
Vagrant: in strong box

If this is right, I take what's left and put it in the strong box.

OOC Faliol doesn't think any of those piles of money are intended for him. He works for Mr. Kent and expects to be paid by him.

OOC: This was not a payment. This was Beka attempting to give Rath a bequest to his only friends. Rath had money when he died. It has to go somewhere.

OOC Stupid me, I thought it was Rath's wages. I assumed incorrectly that Faliol would have no right to those since he works for Mr. Kent.

Once Faliol understands that one pile is meant for him, he steps forward and collects his cut. "Ms. Beka, this is most kind of you. I promise not to waste this on courting females or fermented beverages, but to put it to constructive use in a fashion that would please Rath. I thank you for your generosity..."

Feeling the eyes of those who, for personal reasons, turned down perfectly good money, Faliol puts the coinage into his coin purse.

.oO(This will help me feed Jareek and possibly bankroll my own caravan someday.)

Despite justifications galore, Faliol feels a bit...unclean...about accepting the money.

.oO(Three and a half gold buys a whole lotta soap, kit.)

I want to be part of the kill Throne squad. I'm going in.

Celeste nods at Beka's statement.

to post anything before the action begins. I will take the most current suggestions and plans as golden tonight. I will start rolling (virtual) dice at that time...

Cas will try and stick to the back as a sort of rear guard. But she will be keeping an eye on Nuyok through most of this and make sure that at a moment's notice she can get up to protect him. He is, after all, the healer.