You say you have gunpowder?  Is it separate, just the red or a proper mix?  I can sort it anyway.  We know that the Promaxim has Gunpowder, we just need to know where it is and   He rubs his hands together...Blaster by name, blaster by action Then we can blast a nice hole anywhere.

I won't be able to lift anyone but I can get a rope down.  We have ways

"Yes, we have a number of tricks up our sleeves," Jheridan responds. "I can cast a few spells... Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Fly and maybe Silence."

"Commonplace magic that we're all used to is very rare here, and even then, it's mostly minor magic. Isn't that right, Khuno?"

" If this is true, then this could be fun. " Ioelenna interjects.

"Tell me where you want me to go. I can try to sneak in around the side." Korkas responds softly "Perhaps I can even help create and control a hole in the wall."

"Yes. Magic of the power you are able to cast is currently beyond us," Khuno agrees. "I suspect it is more about our way of life than about our ability. We simply have no need of such power. And if we did have it, then the Promaxim would wield it, as well."

"I can see from Tealon's magic and Ioelenna's magic that it is more of an art than a brute application of power. It is one of the reasons the Promaxim failed to grasp it from the Trade Ship. He respects power, not art."

"Which, of course, is why he has the gunpowder. I suspect it is stored in his fortress. The first time we assaulted it, we were there to rescue the crew of the Trade Ship. I don't think it occurred to any of us to look for the gunpowder."

"The gunpowder I carry is properly mixed," Viktor replies to Tealon. "It is only enough for 2... maybe 3... explosions powerful enough to breach a wall."

In reply to Viktor Kuryalev (msg # 700):

Thank you Viktor, that should be enough to create a few diversions and a single hole and enough left in case needed.

Looking at Khuno, I looked for signs but couldn't locate any.  It was one of my primary goals to locate it, not cause an explosion, I was asked specifically not to do that.  Turns out to have been the right call, that's why Danyka leads and not I.

"Do not be so modest, Tealon," Danyka replies.

"Everyone has their own style. If it gets results, then it's all good."

"In this case, it's about using the limited resources we have to achieve the greatest possible benefit. Even I bowed to Katrin's better plan."

"I'd say the best feature of a leader is his ability to listen to his advisors, then choose whichever course of action appears to be the wisest."

"Is it time to move out, Khuno?"

In reply to Danyka Ydrasyl (msg # 702):

Tealon bows deep, his salesman flambouyance not usually showing but this time it did.

"Once that wall is breached I can storm it or plug it if we need to." Korkas responds as he looks to the others.

"I don't normally advise it, but, in this case, we need to travel at night rather than the daytime," Khuno replies. "We don't really want anyone to spot us before we get to our destination--it could cause all kinds of complications."

"But, yes, time to move out."

With that, she leads the way back through the forest to the road.

"This road isn't used all that much anyway. The villages are a bit too distant for daily travel, so wagons and such only make the trip about once a week."

"The closer we get to where we're going, the more likely we are to run across someone at dawn or shortly thereafter, as that's when they'll be heading out."

Khuno lead the group along the road, mostly on the road because it isn't much traveled. Being the North Road, there are only a few villages up that way and trade with them and city is limited, usually one wagon a week, with guards, makes the trip to and from.

Technically, it's the 'west road', since it's to the west of the coast, but it goes north to the villages.

Whenever someone is encountered on the road, you have sufficient warning ahead of time to get off the road and hide in the forest and underbrush.

It takes a full day to reach the Mountain Road that heads to the Promaxim's fortress, but since you aren't in a real hurry, you can travel through the night and make it to the fortress by dawn.

Although it has a commanding view of the surrounding countryside, you can still stay out of sight in the woods and observe it.

Since the plan is to 'invade' it at night, you make a cold camp during the day and can recover from the 'forced march'.

The first thing that you notice is that there are more guards on the fortress walls, and there is a newly-built guard tower at the entrance.

Khuno can do a scouting recon around the perimeter, but Tealon is cautioned about doing any aerial reconnaissance. They know better now. And while they think you've all gone away, they can't be sure that others can't fly.

About an hour after dawn, the fortress gates open and a troop rides out with the Promaxim at its head.

"Better than I expected," Katrin tells the others. "He's going to find out why his two suppliers have been attacked. My guess is that he doesn't believe the reports. The more he interrogated and got the same answer, the less he believed them! To him, it makes no sense."

"Tactics of mistake #1--he's been drawn out of position."

Korkas kneeled in the brushes, his natural complexion helping hide himself as they watched the fortress. Looking to those in charge "How do you want me to proceed?"

In reply to Korkas (msg # 708):

It may be worth waiting a few more hours in case this is a rouse! Plus, wouldn't the guard be more alert just after the guard shift change?

"In order for it to be a ruse," Jheridan offers, "he'd have to know we were here and were planning on attacking his fortress."

"If that's the case, we're already dead. I just don't think that's reasonable. Hell, I don't even know I'm here!"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:02, Tue 01 June 2021.

"Yeah, just before shift change is when they'd be the least alert," Viktor agrees with Tealon.

"I suggest we test their revised training. We need to make some sort of distraction and see if it draws any of them out of position."

"Fluffy might be good for that. They haven't seen him yet. Unless any of you have a better suggestion?"

"Perhaps we can disguise Tealon to make him look more like a bird," Khuno suggests. "They already know about Tealon's ability to fly, so they should be more wary of a flying creature now. But, if they recognize Tealon, then they'll know you're back."

In reply to Khuno Manco (msg # 712):

Interesting idea, use a large Cloak so can open legs to look like a birds tail!
If they are watching the sky, they won't be watching the floor.

How about a few cloaks flowing behind as I fly very high, they may think Dragon!

Korkas looked to Tealon "Would that Interfere with the contraption? May fall?" he questioned. He was not really sure how well it worked but he did not himself want to "fly" through the sky like Tealon. Preferring his feet firmly grounded.

In reply to Korkas (msg # 714):

If I leave my reinforced Greatcoat behind, that would equate to more than 2 cloaks, however, I have less weight on my already than our last assault as I don't have my grenades' on me.  But you are right, more than another cloak may prove more difficult to get up as high as I would like

"That would definitely work," Khuno agreed, "especially if you fly over from the southwest and continue flying northeast until  you are out of sight. Maybe another hour later we can try Fluffy as another test."

"So, Tealon, do you think you can act like a bird?"

Katrin continued to watch the fortress, trying to find a weakness in its defensive construction. She was convinced that there was one... there always was. Sometimes it was the people manning it; she thought that might be the case here.

"I don't know how good your vision will have to be for the height you'll also need, but you can scan the top of the fortress and see what kind of forces they have posted," Katrin suggests.

"If it was me, I might even have built a new barracks up on the roof. Of course, they might not have done it yet since they believe we left and wouldn't expect us to return for quite some time."

"I'm reluctant to do it this way," Jheridan suggested, "you can cast the spell Change Self from my spellbook, Tealon. That will further help give you the appearance of a bird."

"Normally, it'd be hard to fool someone up close, especially if you were interacting with them, but way up in the sky shouldn't be a problem."

I think it is doable, AlterSelf may work but I don't know how it works properly, if I can use it at all.

Tealon will fly as Khuno suggests, especially looking for new buildings and build up of troops as Katrin surmises.